SIPTU Ballot and Proposal Clarity

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As the current pay and conditions proposal is being balloted by SIPTU, the Irish Society of Paramedicine wishes to raise serious concerns on behalf of our members and frontline colleagues.

It has become increasingly clear that SIPTU representatives themselves appear uncertain about key elements of the proposal — the very agreement they have publicly endorsed and urged their members to support with a "yes" vote.

Since the announcement of the ballot, we have seen repeated instances of:

• SIPTU officials unable to answer basic questions from their own members

• Representatives having to return to NAS management for clarification on multiple critical details

• Confusion around key implications for rosters, allowances, progression, and staffing models

This lack of clarity is deeply troubling. If a union does not fully understand the proposal it is promoting, how can its members be expected to cast an informed vote? How can confidence exist in a process that is built on ambiguity?

The Society has always maintained that any vote of this magnitude must be based on: 

✅ Full transparency

✅ Detailed and consistent information

✅ Real consultation with all affected staff

Unfortunately, those principles appear to have been compromised. Many of our members — and a growing number of SIPTU’s own — are now questioning how a mandate can be granted without clarity, and how representation can be trusted without accountability.

We urge all staff across the National Ambulance Service to remain vigilant, ask questions, and demand answers before casting their vote. Representation must be earned, not assumed — and trust must be built on understanding, not confusion.

We remain available to any frontline professional seeking support, clarity, or an independent voice during this time.