Sign in. It’s quick, free and it’s up to you.
An account is an optional way to support the work we do. Find out more.
AMBULANCE SERVICE PERSONNEL have voted to take industrial action later this month in protest over the HSE’s refusal to facilitate payroll deductions of union subscriptions for new members of the National Ambulance Service Representative Association (NASRA).
NASRA has said its members have voted by nearly 98% in favour of industrial action, up to and including strike action.
It said the industrial action will begin on 24 July.
Peter Hughes, the general secretary of the Psychiatric Nurses Association (PNA), of which NASRA is a union branch, said the decisive outcome of the ballot confirmed the level of anger and frustration by its members at having a basic right to join the union of their choice denied to them.
“The message to the HSE from this outcome could not be clearer,” Hughes said.
“Ambulance personnel do not accept the arbitrary move taken earlier this year by the HSE to refuse to deduct union subscriptions at source for the growing numbers of ambulance personnel (including paramedics, advanced paramedics and emergency medical technicians) who wish to join NASRA, and exercise their fundamental right to organise and join the union of their choice,” he said.
NASRA members as union branch members of the PNA had been left with no other option than to take this action and protect their fundamental right of freedom of association.
“The HSE have chosen to refuse to engage with us on the fundamental issue despite many requests to do so. There is still time to avert industrial action and I am calling on the HSE to immediately commence processing union deductions from payroll for new NASRA members as is the norm across the trade union sector.”
Sinead McGrath, national chairperson of NASRA, said that is it “time for the HSE to take up and accept the implications of this ballot outcome”.
The HSE has been contacted for a statement.
To embed this post, copy the code below on your site
It appears the HSE doesn’t want the administrative work of handling the deductions. Why don’t the union members just set up a monthly direct debit on their bank accounts? It doesn’t seem like an issue to go on strike over.
@Earth Traveller:
Could it be that they want it deducted before tax? Never been in a union so I don’t know the numbers involved.
@P.J. Nolan: you can’t have this deducted before tax
@Louise Tracey:
Fair enough Louise, I didn’t know.
@Earth Traveller: it’s because the HSE won’t recognise nasra and won’t feel with them on members rights, etc
@Earth Traveller: If the HSE are willing to facilitate one union with a deduction at source and refuse another union the same facility they are obviously taking sides. The HSE cannot tell a staff members which union they should join.
Apologies, the members of nasra are not being afforded the same rights as all other members of the hse. The right to equality, the right to organise and the right to associate. These are constitutional rights. If basic rights are not upheld how can we possibly expect to be treated fairly in any other matters?
@Sinead McGrath: Rights ? So would I have the right to force my employer to deduct my monthly gym membership from my wages and pass it on to the gym for me ? Perhaps the unions should organise their own subs collection system and stop expecting others to do it for them ?
@Tommy Roche: Of course you should Tommy, and let you use a computer to do your online shopping during working hours. If they don’t allow that, call in the union.
@Sinead McGrath: And HSE are using their rights as an employer not to recognise this particular union. There are already a number of unions representing NAS staff. NASRA members should be honest enough to say that what they’re trying to do is force NAS/HSE to recognise their union, something which any employer will always react against.
@Tommy Roche: Tommy, The HSE facilitates VHI, Sickness and Accident Insurance etc from employees wages each month.
@Tommy Roche: If they were taking it from one gym, then yes I would expect them to take it for every gym.
Modern payroll systems can easily facilitate any new deductions at the stroke of a few keys and zero cost.
The refusal by the HSE to do so amounts to a blocking manoeuvre which is within their gift but at least call it what it is.
Also, union subscriptions are tax deductible in the form of an additional credit.
@David McShite: just on the last point, that isn’t reliant on them being deducted at source.
Though I do agree they are being petty by not facilitating the deductions at source
Is the issue that the HSE are refusing membership, or that they won’t deduct membership fees through payroll. If the latter, can they not set up a direct debit from their own bank accounts. How does this work – or not ?
It seems we are looking at either petty vindictiveness on the part of the HSE ….. or possibly lobbing from another union …… it wouldn’t be the first time it’s happened …..
You have to win the small battles before you can take on the war
I would love to work in the payroll department responsible for pressing the button that pays the union dues each month and go on strike the day the button gets pressed.
@Sam Cairns: ya because that’s how payroll works, just press a button
@Louise Tracey: and just once a week….
Clearly the National Ambulance Service Representative Association (NASRA). have little to be bothering them.
It’s very simple. The members of NAS
I don’t want someone who can’t organise a direct debit calculating meds.
@Johnny Magorey: you need meds to think rationally?
@Johnny Magorey: Troll.
have your say