Ambos work longer for less

I would like to make a comment on the current situation that NSW ambos are having with their wages.

Some five years ago the Health Services Union and the members started a wage case with the SVC.

After some five years it ended with on-road staff receiving a pay cut.

How come? How could this happen?

I am the wife of an ambo on the Central Coast.

I have the job of making sure we have enough money to pay bills and the mortgage.

I take this job seriously as it is important to be able to pay our way in this country.

For many years, my husband and I waited for the increase, and all we got was a pay cut.

Sure you might say it was an increase in the hourly rate, but we lost more by meal penalties and call offs.

Now with this new roster of 12-hour shifts, it will become worse.

He will now work longer, less chance of overtime and they cannot get off at the 12-hour mark as been proven in Sydney with the introduction on the new rosters.

These rosters I thought were supposed to correct the problem of fatigue but this hasn't.

They get five days off instead of four, but ambos will need to work an overtime shift to make up for the money they have lost from less overtime and loss of meal penalties.

Kerrie Stirling, Umina Beach