PAID AMBULANCE DRIVERS

Press, Volume LXXXVII, Issue 26393, 11 April 1951, Page 8

PAID AMBULANCE DRIVERS

CHANGES IN AWARD SOUGHT EMPLOYERS CRITICISE CLAIMS (New Zealand Press Association) WELLINGTON, April 10. A clause which the workers are seeking to have included in the New Zealand Ambulance Drivers’ Award, which was beiore the Arbitration Court to-day for revision, may seriously upset the voluntary aspect of the St. John Ambulance Servio,. This was claimed by the employers at to-day’s hearing. The proposed clause is: “No person shall be used on call-backs or on ambulance driving duties if a permanent driver is available anc willing to perform the duties.” Mr A. C. Melville submitted on behalf of the workers that the provision would be reasonable, since some of the work lent itself to the employment of casual workers with first-aid training, who could easily be given the tighter assignments, leaving the permanent employees to perform the onerous duties. Also, such employment of casuals could be used to avoid the payment of overtime to permanent employees. The workers' claim was of considerable importance, said Mr P. J. Luxford, for the employers. A considerable number of St. John Ambulance workers regularly attended sports meetings and public gatherings, but some of them wished to widen their experience It was a regular feature of the St. John organisation to let those volunteers attend anc< have full charge of ambulance case-.

Having ascertained from Mr Melville that the clause was intended to cover volunteers as we’ as paid casual workers, Mr Justice Tyndall said that the Court had authority over paid workers only. “While we appreciate the work these men are doing, we feel tha. they can learn just as much by assisting the drivers, without endangering the lives of people,” said Mr Melville. The main reason for the clause was that while volunteers were prepared to learn one phase of the work, they were not prepared to do other work, such as cleaning the station and cars. The award covers all New Zealand except Auckland, Wellington and Christchurch. The clauses referred to the Court govern hours of work, wages, overtime, shift work, holidays, and the term of the award. Decision was reserved.