A Hato Hone St John First Union ambulance covered in messages from staff. Photo: Supplied / First Union
Ambulance workers' industrial action has ceased - for now - after their unions accepted the latest pay offer from ambulance service Hato Hone St John.
The government announced the breakthrough on Wednesday morning, while also hailing a further funding injection into the charity.
Associate Health Minister Casey Costello said the coalition would lift its support by more than $21 million, bringing the taxpayers' contribution to St John to nearly $357 million for the 2024-25 financial year. The funding came from Health NZ and ACC.
"Hato Hone St John provides an essential service by ensuring people receive timely treatment in an emergency," Costello said. "This is a significant uplift in a constrained financial environment."
In a separate statement to RNZ, Hato Hone St John confirmed the end of industrial action after First Union members last week voted in favour of the latest settlement offer.
Associate Health Minister Casey Costello. Photo: RNZ / Samuel Rillstone
Deputy chief executive Dan Ohs - in charge of ambulance operations - said the past months had been challenging for all involved, but the outcome was a positive one.
"I also want to acknowledge the personal impact that this process has had on our people," Ohs said. "Industrial action is never an easy choice to make, and I want to thank everyone involved for working together to minimise the impact on our patients."
Ohs said the service was grateful for the government's funding injection, but indicated more would still be needed.
"We will continue to work with the government over the coming months to address the gap between how much it costs to run our ambulance services and the funding we receive.
"This means we will still be seeking full funding to cover the daily running costs and infrastructure to run the ambulance service when we negotiate our next contract, which begins in 2026."
Speaking to RNZ on Wednesday, a First Union spokesperson said the government's funding boost was welcome but insufficient, and "only a stop-gap solution".
ACC Minister Matt Doocey said the investment would ensure the ongoing delivery of St John's emergency road ambulance service.
"We know that adequate funding of our road ambulance services is essential to ensuring New Zealanders have access to emergency healthcare."
National's coalition agreement with New Zealand First included a commitment to "renegotiate the Crown funding agreement with St John with a view to meeting a greater portion of their annualised budget".
New Zealand First campaigned last year on lifting the government's contribution to cover 95 percent of St John's costs.
Hato Hone St John staff from two unions launched rolling strikes for the first time ever in August, saying they were burnt out and underpaid.
That was followed by further action in September from First Union members who rejected what was described then as St John's "final offer".
Costello said she was pleased negotiations had been settled: "We know Health NZ and ACC have worked closely with Hato Hone St John to minimise disruption and ensure essential services remain available."
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