Wellington paramedics are taking part in a statewide campaign to reverse changes to their death and disability insurance scheme.
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The Health Services Union (HSU) and the NSW government are locked in a battle on the issue.
Ambulance vehicles have been “chalked up” at Wellington with slogans relating to the campaign.
The NSW Industrial Relations Commission (IRC) made a new Death and Income Protection Award which took effect from August 20.
The Ambulance Division of the HSU (ADHSU) says there is no longer a fair employer-based protection scheme in place, but NSW Ambulance says the government values the work of paramedics and continues to fund an insurance scheme in addition to workers compensation.
The HSU claims the new scheme leaves paramedics with less than one quarter of their previous protections and for a maximum of two years.
The government had made allowances in legislation and the IRC to ensure the funds were made available to provide better protections for police, but refused to do the same for paramedics, an HSU spokesperson said.
On Monday the IRC recommended the HSU refrain from writing political slogans on ambulances but the HSU remained defiant, saying it would not abide by the recommendation.
“As they do not think it appropriate to interfere with members’ rights to express their political views,” a spokersperson said.
“Especially when it is both respectful and polite and about better protections for paramedics and the community.
“Paramedics are continuing in their campaign to highlight the inadequacies of inappropriate paramedic protections and are encouraging their community members to fully participate as well.”
A NSW Ambulance spokesperson said the new income protection scheme provided new benefits to sick and injured paramedics who received nothing under the old scheme because their illness or injuries did not result in permanent total or partial disability.
“The previous lump sum benefits for disability have been replaced by a two-year income protection benefit to support staff during a period of recovery and rehabilitation before they return to work,” he said.
“This is not a lump sum or ‘payout’.
“The new scheme continues to provide benefits in the case of incidents at work and also those that occur outside the workplace.
“Paramedics will no longer have to contribute to the cost. . . funding will continue for initiatives to improve the health and wellness of paramedics.”
