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Yorkshire Ambulance Strike
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just been a bit of film showing the picket line at the ambulance/paramedic strike.
one of them holding a big placard saying "in the interest of public safety"
how the hell is a 24 hour strike going to help public safety?? 
its all about on busy days they MAY have to go without a meal break |
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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago
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"just been a bit of film showing the picket line at the ambulance/paramedic strike.
one of them holding a big placard saying "in the interest of public safety"
how the hell is a 24 hour strike going to help public safety??
its all about on busy days they MAY have to go without a meal break"
To insist on an hour for lunch when you're doing a job that can make a critical difference to peoples lives does seem a bit wrong. It takes minutes to eat a sandwich. I've had a job where if the equipment broke we'd work 18 hour days until it was fixed, it was a salaried job so no overtime payments. Meals and sleep were taken in shifts, less than 6 hours sleep and certainly not an hour for lunch. |
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In fairness, knowing someone very well who is a paramedic. It's a bit more than that. They are seeeeriously over stretched, I saw a crew attend an ice hockey match and then watched as they all walked round the rink to get to the ambulance.... Emergency eh?. Common sense would say you grab a bite on the hoof. But not allowed to eat/drink in cab on way to/from a call or at hospital. Sometimes don't get their break until they're due to finish a shift, 12hrs mostly. Would anyone go to work and not want a break? H&S @ work governs them too, go that length, no break, potentially wrap ur vehicle into another due to fatigue and then what? Don't even get me started on non provision of stab vests in this day. Will take a death to sort that one, wouldn't want to be any relation or friend on that day. I agree, as a public service, striking is not necessarily the answer as it effects those they want to help.
It's not just as clear cut as I want a break. There's a lot you really don't get to see. I wouldn't do it for the money they're on, labourers get paid more. I know who i'd want when the need arises.
Sorry, rant over, wasn't meant to be..  |
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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago
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"just been a bit of film showing the picket line at the ambulance/paramedic strike.
one of them holding a big placard saying "in the interest of public safety"
how the hell is a 24 hour strike going to help public safety??
its all about on busy days they MAY have to go without a meal break
To insist on an hour for lunch when you're doing a job that can make a critical difference to peoples lives does seem a bit wrong. It takes minutes to eat a sandwich. I've had a job where if the equipment broke we'd work 18 hour days until it was fixed, it was a salaried job so no overtime payments. Meals and sleep were taken in shifts, less than 6 hours sleep and certainly not an hour for lunch."
It's not just about having some food, it's as much about having a mental break from the death, serious injury, abuse from drug/alcohol users and a whole manner of things the general public never see on an hourly basis. In your job where you would "work 18 hour days until it was fixed", did anyone die if a small mistake was made? Paramedics are humans like everyone else, and the brutal death, or horrific injury of another human affects them as much as anyone else. |
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"just been a bit of film showing the picket line at the ambulance/paramedic strike.
one of them holding a big placard saying "in the interest of public safety"
how the hell is a 24 hour strike going to help public safety??
its all about on busy days they MAY have to go without a meal break
To insist on an hour for lunch when you're doing a job that can make a critical difference to peoples lives does seem a bit wrong. It takes minutes to eat a sandwich. I've had a job where if the equipment broke we'd work 18 hour days until it was fixed, it was a salaried job so no overtime payments. Meals and sleep were taken in shifts, less than 6 hours sleep and certainly not an hour for lunch."
^^Why are people so stupid^^
Anyone say strike and its suddenly "I do this and they should do take what they are given" attitude without giving any real thought to the issues behind the reason for the threatened strike.
In this case they are blindingly obvious but it seems they need spelling out for for outraged of boston and Plymouth.
HGV drivers have to comply with driving regulations that limit their driving time to a maximum of 4 1/2 hours without a 3/4 hour break and a maximum of 90 hours driving in a rolling 2 week period (there are a lot more regs). This is because it is dangerous to drive when tired, it causes loss of concentration that leads to RTAs, hunger and stress increases the effects of tiredness.
Now as that is true for drivers of vehicles that have lower speed limits than normal cars. What effects do you think hunger and tiredness will have to an overworked hungry and tired ambulance driver dealing with their 9/10/11 emergency of the day under blues and twos? Would either of you want to be in the back or even on the same road as that ambulance? Did you actually give any thought to the issues involved?
Or maybe you saw the words strike and ambulance service and decided to climb on your 'who do they think they are, I pay their wages' soapboxes...need I say more?
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"just been a bit of film showing the picket line at the ambulance/paramedic strike.
one of them holding a big placard saying "in the interest of public safety"
how the hell is a 24 hour strike going to help public safety??
its all about on busy days they MAY have to go without a meal break
To insist on an hour for lunch when you're doing a job that can make a critical difference to peoples lives does seem a bit wrong. It takes minutes to eat a sandwich. I've had a job where if the equipment broke we'd work 18 hour days until it was fixed, it was a salaried job so no overtime payments. Meals and sleep were taken in shifts, less than 6 hours sleep and certainly not an hour for lunch.
^^Why are people so stupid^^
Anyone say strike and its suddenly "I do this and they should do take what they are given" attitude without giving any real thought to the issues behind the reason for the threatened strike.
In this case they are blindingly obvious but it seems they need spelling out for for outraged of boston and Plymouth.
HGV drivers have to comply with driving regulations that limit their driving time to a maximum of 4 1/2 hours without a 3/4 hour break and a maximum of 90 hours driving in a rolling 2 week period (there are a lot more regs). This is because it is dangerous to drive when tired, it causes loss of concentration that leads to RTAs, hunger and stress increases the effects of tiredness.
Now as that is true for drivers of vehicles that have lower speed limits than normal cars. What effects do you think hunger and tiredness will have to an overworked hungry and tired ambulance driver dealing with their 9/10/11 emergency of the day under blues and twos? Would either of you want to be in the back or even on the same road as that ambulance? Did you actually give any thought to the issues involved?
Or maybe you saw the words strike and ambulance service and decided to climb on your 'who do they think they are, I pay their wages' soapboxes...need I say more?
"
i am not outraged, the original OP was, in fact, regarding the words on the banner, i only mentioned the meal break to point out what they were striking for.
i am governed by the digicard in my working life so know about that side of things. |
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"just been a bit of film showing the picket line at the ambulance/paramedic strike.
one of them holding a big placard saying "in the interest of public safety"
how the hell is a 24 hour strike going to help public safety??
its all about on busy days they MAY have to go without a meal break"
Have you heard of the saying "walk a mile in my shoes"? Do the job and then be in a position to pass an informed comment. |
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"just been a bit of film showing the picket line at the ambulance/paramedic strike.
one of them holding a big placard saying "in the interest of public safety"
how the hell is a 24 hour strike going to help public safety??
its all about on busy days they MAY have to go without a meal break
Have you heard of the saying "walk a mile in my shoes"? Do the job and then be in a position to pass an informed comment."
 i repeat, the OP was about the wording on the placard... i.e. how does going on strike for 24 hours make it "in the interest of public safety"
the public are not safe if they are on strike for 24 hours now are they.
.
disclaimer, this in no way reflects any of my views for the reason they are on strike |
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By *r ManxMan
over a year ago
NeverWhere |
Try going to work and doing anything up to a 15 hr shift without a break even to go to the toilet. Not even allowed to eat or drink in the cab between jobs . Then throw in driving on blue lights and sirens. Also going from someone with D&V then to a baby that's not breathing . Clear from that job straight out for someone who has cut their finger. Then go to a multiple pile up on a dual carriage way with people trapped. Then a couple of falls who only need checking out and paper work done. Then ask is it safe to drive through rush hr traffic to a loved one who is in cardiac arrest 10 mile away ?
When you have thought about it,
is a 1/2 break 1/2 way through a shift unreasonable ? Oh and that's a normal week day don't ask about Friday or Saturday night
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"just been a bit of film showing the picket line at the ambulance/paramedic strike.
one of them holding a big placard saying "in the interest of public safety"
how the hell is a 24 hour strike going to help public safety??
its all about on busy days they MAY have to go without a meal break
Have you heard of the saying "walk a mile in my shoes"? Do the job and then be in a position to pass an informed comment.
i repeat, the OP was about the wording on the placard... i.e. how does going on strike for 24 hours make it "in the interest of public safety"
the public are not safe if they are on strike for 24 hours now are they.
.
disclaimer, this in no way reflects any of my views for the reason they are on strike"
"In the interests of public safety" obviously refers to the reason they are striking not the duration of the strike.
And do you really think the area they cover will have no service in that time? That the operators on the phone will say "sorry all out ambulance drivers are on strike today, could you go to the next county to have you accident? No? Oh, sorry you will just have to die then, bye!" |
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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago
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"just been a bit of film showing the picket line at the ambulance/paramedic strike.
one of them holding a big placard saying "in the interest of public safety"
how the hell is a 24 hour strike going to help public safety??
its all about on busy days they MAY have to go without a meal break
To insist on an hour for lunch when you're doing a job that can make a critical difference to peoples lives does seem a bit wrong. It takes minutes to eat a sandwich. I've had a job where if the equipment broke we'd work 18 hour days until it was fixed, it was a salaried job so no overtime payments. Meals and sleep were taken in shifts, less than 6 hours sleep and certainly not an hour for lunch.
It's not just about having some food, it's as much about having a mental break from the death, serious injury, abuse from drug/alcohol users and a whole manner of things the general public never see on an hourly basis. In your job where you would "work 18 hour days until it was fixed", did anyone die if a small mistake was made? Paramedics are humans like everyone else, and the brutal death, or horrific injury of another human affects them as much as anyone else."
Yes people did die when the machinery was incorrectly operated, someone I know was literary cut in half when someone 50 Meyers away pressed the wrong button. Squeezed his midsection through a 6 in gap and he was a big lad. Heavy industry and being at sea no ambulance, just people who had done a 5 day first aid course to offer assistance... Ships don't come under the factory act and as such health and safety laws don't apply. I consider myself very lucky not to have witnessed it.  |
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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago
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They are obviously understaffed and having breaks is desirable. In an ideal world they would get more staff, sufficient breaks and more wages.
Someone died locally back along as the ambulance to quite along time to get there due to lunch breaks it was also in a rural area. I've heard reports recently of ambulances being effectively stranded at hospitals because they will not take the patients off the ambulance as there is no one to treat them. Occasionally having to miss your lunch maybe acceptable but it's not acceptable on a daily basis. |
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"Occasionally having to miss your lunch maybe acceptable but it's not acceptable on a daily basis."
You really dont get it!
What is acceptable occasionally now becomes the standard in a short while! And where you may kill a workmate (who presumably knows and accepts the risks involved with the job) through making a mistake because you are overtired. A tired professional driver can kill other road users who dont have the luxury of knowing that they need to avoid the oncoming driver because they are unfit through overwork, lack of food, stress and general tiredness!
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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago
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"Occasionally having to miss your lunch maybe acceptable but it's not acceptable on a daily basis.
You really dont get it!
What is acceptable occasionally now becomes the standard in a short while! And where you may kill a workmate (who presumably knows and accepts the risks involved with the job) through making a mistake because you are overtired. A tired professional driver can kill other road users who dont have the luxury of knowing that they need to avoid the oncoming driver because they are unfit through overwork, lack of food, stress and general tiredness!
"
Tell that to the families of people who have died because an ambulance didn't make it in time because they were on a lunch break. |
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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago
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I have been a front line firefighter for 20 years and have seen and done some very unpleasant things. However, we just pick up the pieces most of the time but ambulance staff have to make decisions in a spit second which can mean the difference between life and death. They get paid very little for what they do, regularly face abuse, verbally and physically from the very people they are trying to help. I've seen them spat at, struck out at and much worse whilst doing their duty. They are subject to more and more cuts which means they have a bigger workload through no fault of their own.
Last year I was unfortunate enough to have to experience their skill, professionalism and dedication to the job when I suffered severe injuries in a motorcycle accident. They were absolutely fantastic. Whilst they, and us, have to skip the odd meal or break, they, like any worker, are entitled to regular meal breaks. Give them what they want, these people are a special breed and deserve way more than a regular break. |
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"Occasionally having to miss your lunch maybe acceptable but it's not acceptable on a daily basis.
You really dont get it!
What is acceptable occasionally now becomes the standard in a short while! And where you may kill a workmate (who presumably knows and accepts the risks involved with the job) through making a mistake because you are overtired. A tired professional driver can kill other road users who dont have the luxury of knowing that they need to avoid the oncoming driver because they are unfit through overwork, lack of food, stress and general tiredness!
Tell that to the families of people who have died because an ambulance didn't make it in time because they were on a lunch break."
Ah right it was the lazy ambulance staff eating that were responsible for the deaths, not the latest round of cuts that left less crews covering bigger areas! No doubt when people burn to death in house fires it will be down to lazy firefighters not the closing of fire stations and the replacement of full time firefighters with part time retained firefighters |
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By *lutaxiMan
over a year ago
Dundalk |
Paramedics don't mind missing the odd meal break ( I know I don't usually find something to eat) but what is wrong that the stress is increasing workload has increased and management still cut crews to stay in budget. Areas that may or should have 10 ambulances on duty are working with 7 or 8. Staff on duty are expected to cope / manage with the lack of resources. You may go to a call and your backup crew is in a different county. You may be on a rapid response car and be told there is no ambulance or it's 30-40 miles away. People don't see or here of these cuts but the staff do get the abuse for them.
It's a worldwide problem these days for ambulance and fire service staff. Sometimes the only way of highlighting these issues is a strike.
I know me and my fellow workers now believe if it's a strike it will be no cover at all because if we cover they will let us strike to save wages. People will say people will die but it's happening anyway
Sorry rant over  |
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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago
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"Occasionally having to miss your lunch maybe acceptable but it's not acceptable on a daily basis.
You really dont get it!
What is acceptable occasionally now becomes the standard in a short while! And where you may kill a workmate (who presumably knows and accepts the risks involved with the job) through making a mistake because you are overtired. A tired professional driver can kill other road users who dont have the luxury of knowing that they need to avoid the oncoming driver because they are unfit through overwork, lack of food, stress and general tiredness!
Tell that to the families of people who have died because an ambulance didn't make it in time because they were on a lunch break.
Ah right it was the lazy ambulance staff eating that were responsible for the deaths, not the latest round of cuts that left less crews covering bigger areas! No doubt when people burn to death in house fires it will be down to lazy firefighters not the closing of fire stations and the replacement of full time firefighters with part time retained firefighters "
if you actually read my post above I've already said they are understaffed and have certainly not implied anywhere that they are lazy, you decided to quote a small part of my post and take it out of context. In an ideal world there would be more drivers and paramedics but until that time comes are we happy to see people in desperate need of an ambulance wait around until someone has finished their lunch hour. Another poster that likes to put words into other peoples mouths  |
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"Occasionally having to miss your lunch maybe acceptable but it's not acceptable on a daily basis.
You really dont get it!
What is acceptable occasionally now becomes the standard in a short while! And where you may kill a workmate (who presumably knows and accepts the risks involved with the job) through making a mistake because you are overtired. A tired professional driver can kill other road users who dont have the luxury of knowing that they need to avoid the oncoming driver because they are unfit through overwork, lack of food, stress and general tiredness!
Tell that to the families of people who have died because an ambulance didn't make it in time because they were on a lunch break.
Ah right it was the lazy ambulance staff eating that were responsible for the deaths, not the latest round of cuts that left less crews covering bigger areas! No doubt when people burn to death in house fires it will be down to lazy firefighters not the closing of fire stations and the replacement of full time firefighters with part time retained firefighters if you actually read my post above I've already said they are understaffed and have certainly not implied anywhere that they are lazy, you decided to quote a small part of my post and take it out of context. In an ideal world there would be more drivers and paramedics but until that time comes are we happy to see people in desperate need of an ambulance wait around until someone has finished their lunch hour. Another poster that likes to put words into other peoples mouths "
Actually I did not misquote you in any way count back 5 posts from the quoted post here and you will see that in direct response to my point you said:
"Tell that to the families of people who have died because an ambulance didn't make it in time because they were on a lunch break."
Nothing else just that, now if I happen to have responded with a point you had already made you either need to take yourself into a corner and give yourself a good talking to! Or take your own advice and not try to twist others posts. Because doing that you will only end up looking like a first class arse.
Because arsy bastards like me will point it out your inconsistencies everyone.
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Lunch hour??? That would be half hour.
Anyway, that aside, the comment above about people potentially dying. Irrespective of breaks, my concern is crews being sent to people who quite blatantly don't need an ambulance (re ice hockey comment earlier) and could get to hospital under their own steam. This is were the risk of someone dying lies while crews are on non life threatening calls. People think there's a 'taxi' rank number of vehicles, in reality a handful to cover areas, and again, tied up for long periods at A&E. Clues in the 'emergency' bit. Neighbour two doors down used to use them as a taxi service even tho we're a 10min car ride from hospital. Cudda been there before they arrived. Knew what problem was, walked to ambulance, again, whats the emergency? Meanwhile maybe someone keels over with a cardiac. Also, 111 ends up calling an ambulance when patient didn't want one.
Could do cause and effect analysis all night! 
Bottom line, it's a tough task. And I for one take my hat off to them. |
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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago
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"Occasionally having to miss your lunch maybe acceptable but it's not acceptable on a daily basis.
You really dont get it!
What is acceptable occasionally now becomes the standard in a short while! And where you may kill a workmate (who presumably knows and accepts the risks involved with the job) through making a mistake because you are overtired. A tired professional driver can kill other road users who dont have the luxury of knowing that they need to avoid the oncoming driver because they are unfit through overwork, lack of food, stress and general tiredness!
Tell that to the families of people who have died because an ambulance didn't make it in time because they were on a lunch break.
Ah right it was the lazy ambulance staff eating that were responsible for the deaths, not the latest round of cuts that left less crews covering bigger areas! No doubt when people burn to death in house fires it will be down to lazy firefighters not the closing of fire stations and the replacement of full time firefighters with part time retained firefighters "
This is the post where you quoted the last sentence which I didn't quote, hence referring to it as the post above, you even seem to think I was the one who pushed a button and killed someone, maybe you should read what I have written rather than what you think I have written because it seems to be two different things. I then commented on the post I quoted where you rant on and imply that I think ambulance staff and firefighters are lazy. Personally I'd rather they missed an occasional lunch than leave a real emergency case dying somewhere.
Nowhere have I stated that these people should be working through their lunch break every day, they are understaffed and should be recruiting more, as I previously stated but you chose to ignore hanging on to the last sentence saying if they agree to miss an occasional lunch they'll have to miss them all before long. As someone else said there are multiple reasons for the difficulties, money, staffing shortages, stupid non emergency callouts, having to wait outside hospitals for an empty bed for the patient. I can't see going on strike over lunch breaks is going to solve any of these, if that is the only reason they are striking.
Not so long ago we had junior doctors working 100 hour weeks in wards across the country, I can't remember them going on strike, or insisting on lunch breaks whilst patients died. Patients may have died due to mistakes caused by fatigue, I don't know.
It never has and probably never will be a perfect system. NHS staff tend to do their best under conditions that are far from ideal either due to funding constraints or poor management. |
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"
Tell that to the families of people who have died because an ambulance didn't make it in time because they were on a lunch break."
that is a typical tabloid response..
why dont you actually ask the ambulance staff what their working routines consist of..?
not the nitty gritty etc, the day in day out stuff where they are not getting the chance to stop have a drink and a bite to eat..
you may want to address your concerns about resources to those that have cut this service to a point where a lot of ambulances are private and do not have paramedics riding..
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By *r ManxMan
over a year ago
NeverWhere |
Seeing as no ones commented ony first post ill add a bit more !
Most Ambulance crews do the job because they want to make a difference . They are caring professionals who deal with everything from birth to death seeing the best and worst of humanity .
Dealing with aspects of life that any normal person would run away from and most other professionals would need extra help. They won't have made the decision lightly but continually doing 12 hr plus shifts as per my original post is bad for your health and dangerous for tge crews the people they are helping and the general public !
Think about it next time you go to work and do 12 hrs with no toilet break no food and no water then get another task that takes an extra 2 hrs .
Then consider doing that gor every shift for a month .
Once you have done it come back a tell us that it is safe and exceptable to continue doing it for the rest of your career !
With the prospect of working till 65 and an early death most ambulance service personnel are dead before they get to 70 years old |
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