Paramedics agree to stand down next week's 48-hr strike

Plans for a three-day strike on May 26 still remain in place following initial talks in the Labour Court today.

THE strike planned by paramedics for next Tuesday has been called off.

Members of the National Ambulance Service and their trade union, SIPTU, went to the Labour Court today to try to find a resolution to the dispute between paramedics and the government over pay and conditions.

Paramedic and spokesperson for crews in Cavan, Paul Mulholland, told the 'Celt exploratory talks at the Labour Court ended a short time ago.

He said the court asked them not to go ahead with next week's planned strike action, which, would see frontline ambulance staff strike for 48 hours.

In Cavan and Monaghan this would mean reduced ambulance crews working in this region for the two days of the strike.

This would mean all non-life-threatening call-outs would likely wait a lot longer for an ambulance to pick them up. All emergency calls would be attended but by a reduced staff.

The 48-hour strike on Tuesday, May 19 was to be escalated to a 72-hour strike the following week on Tuesday, May 26.

Plans for the three-day strike on May 26 remain in place following the initial talks in the Labour Court today.