We want you to be given the choice to retire earlier than you do!
As the largest and strongest trade union for ambulance staff in the UK, UNISON is proud to represent our members working in the ambulance sector. The vital jobs that you do day in, day out help to save people’s lives. But we know that over the years, many roles have become increasingly difficult. Ambulance pressures have had a huge impact on your health and wellbeing both in and out of work, all whilst the age at which you claim your pension has continued to climb so that you’re expected to work even longer.
Time and time again, ambulance staff come off worse than other staff groups in the NHS when it comes to suffering from stress, burnout and illness as a result of your work. Over exposure to traumatic events and the physical nature of some of your work means that for many, working up until 67 or 68 just isn’t possible and some staff are being forced to leave well before they want to.
That’s why UNISON, in line with police and fire services, is calling for all staff working in operational roles (such as paramedics, ECAs and EMTs), PTS and emergency call centre staff to be given the option to be able to retire earlier. These groups of staff already qualify for the Early Retirement Reduction Buy Out scheme (ERRBO) in England which was negotiated by UNISON and the other ambulance trade unions as part of the 2015/16 pay deal.
It is true that the police and firefighters pay more into their pensions to retire earlier and given the cost-of-living crisis, we recognise that not all members will want to pay even more into their pensions than they do now which is why we believe that staff should be given an individual choice.
It has long baffled staff and the public that despite driving under blue lights and providing emergency lifesaving care, that ambulance staff aren’t classified as an emergency service which makes it easier for politicians to justify why they haven’t done anything about the retirement age for ambulance staff despite UNISON’s longstanding campaign for this.
The classification of the ambulance service as an ‘essential’ rather than an ‘emergency’ service as well as the reluctance from politicians to make a real change, have held back ambulance staff from being afforded the recognition that they deserve. That’s why UNISON have commissioned academic research to build the evidence base to show why it isn’t fair to expect ambulance staff to work longer than other emergency services and risk spending their retirement in ill health from burnout through their jobs.
We want to use the evidence to influence policymakers, politicians and employers to take the issue seriously, and to recognise your unique role as both NHS staff and emergency workers. We can only do this together as a collective, through our combined strength and through coordinated action with every member getting involved.
Over the coming months, your national ambulance reps will continue to develop a strategy to win that gives ambulance staff the options to retire earlier if that’s what you choose. Please give us one minute of your time to help us shape our next steps.
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