Paramedics from across Dunedin took part in the national withdrawal of labour and picketed in Queens Garden on Saturday calling for the Crown to fully fund Hato Hone St John’s operational costs.
Dunedin industrial action organiser Angus Wilson, of First Union, said there was not enough funding in the southern regions to sufficiently resource the district and pay staff wages.
It was "pandemonium" when a big event came to town, he said.
"It’s a situation that could get a lot worse. It’s doing OK at the moment with resources but they don’t have the capacity to deal with, say, a rugby event or concert."
During a big event it was stressful for staff responding to back-to-back jobs without breaks.
She said there were not enough paramedics in the city to cope with the pressure that came from staff sickness and leave entitlements.
As a result response times were slower, which was not good for the public.
"It’s become quite the situation."
He said the funding model from the government would lead to a reduction of services.
St John and ambulance personnel members of First Union and Amalgamated Workers Union New Zealand were asking the government to increase Crown funding by $60 million which would take its contribution to the service’s operational costs to 100%.
Across the 24-hour withdrawal of labour, from 4am on Saturday to 4am on Sunday, union members across the country missed the first four hours of their shifts.
Members of the unions from Invercargill also picketed at the corner of Tay St and Elles Rd at 8 o’clock on Saturday morning.
