Colleagues:
Unison members will be beginning a further period of industrial action short of strike action (ASOS) starting at 08:00 on Monday 16th January 2023 and running until 20:00 on Sunday 29th January 2023. Thursday 26th January 08:00 – 20:00 will be strike action and a further communique will be issued, detailing strike action and agreed derogations, in due course. Due to legislative requirements, ASOS will remain the same as our previous period which was 5th – 12th December 2022 (details below). However, as this dispute progresses, ASOS and strike action will be changed and/or escalated.
Action short of a strike (ASOS):
16th – 29th January 2023
- Refusing to have breaks interrupted
Derogations – A&E operational members will request to have their meal breaks at their base station, within the agreed meal break windows. These breaks should only be disturbed for Category 1 immediately life-threatening calls. All members who are on unpaid meal breaks should have their meal breaks at their base station/location, within the meal break period. These breaks should not be disturbed.
- Working strictly to health & safety protocols
Derogations – None
- Withdrawal from all union/management/Department of Health engagement except regional meetings on dispute resolution.
Derogations – None
- Strict adherence to start times
Derogations – None.
Members should not start or book on early to answer calls, complete vehicle checks / VDIs, etc. These should be commenced at the shift start time. Station-based relief members should report to their base station at the commencement of their shift time, before onward travel to stations that are not their base station, but where they have been assigned duties, except when doing so would incur additional travel or expense.
Local Unison Shop Stewards and H&S Reps should be contacted if further information is required. A further communique concerning strike action commencing at 08:00 – 20:00 Thursday 26th January 2023 will follow closer to the time.
NIAS has been given due notice of this action short of a strike, as per legislative requirements. RMC / line managers will be contacting Relief Staff to ascertain if they will be taking industrial action.
End of communique
