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 | | Monday, 7 January, 2002, 09:26 GMT Ambulance staff in strike threat  Attacks on ambulance crews are increasing The Northern Ireland Ambulance Service has said it will hold talks with staff following reports they are threatening to strike over recent attacks on them. It follows the latest incident over the weekend when a brick was thrown through the windscreen of an ambulance in north Belfast, hitting a female paramedic in the face. The driver of the vehicle was also injured. Ambulance staff are set to hold a union meeting on Tuesday to discuss the possibility of strike action. Speaking on BBC Radio Ulster on Monday, the Ambulance Service's director of operations, Liam McIvor, said it was a growing problem. Mr McIvor said he could not rule out the possibility of industrial action by staff.
"We have already been in contact with them, and we maintain regular contact with staff working to try and resolve this problem," he said. "We have been speaking to the crew members who were involved in this incident. "Incidentally, the member I spoke to last night is keen to come back to work. He wants to go back to do the job he was trained to do. "We want to do it in an atmosphere that is as safe as possible. "We will be making every effort with our trade unions to make it a safe environment." Assaults Following the latest attack on staff, which happened in the Limestone Road on Saturday, Northern Ireland's ambulance and health service unions renewed pleas for an end to the growing number of assaults on their staff. Over the last 12 months, the number of attacks on staff has doubled. Paramedics have been threatened with knives when responding to emergency 999 calls. The area where Saturday's attack happened has been scarred by recent and frequent clashes between rival Protestant and Catholic gangs. Police have launched an investigation into the incident. | |
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