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Ambulance drivers resume duties after emergency talks with labour ministry

Published:Wednesday | July 9, 2025 | 7:28 PM
The South East Regional Health Authority said the sick-out impacted several services, including mental health outreach, nursing support at Kingston Public Hospital, and ambulance operations at the National Chest Hospital.
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The South East Regional Health Authority said the sick-out impacted several services, including mental health outreach, nursing support at Kingston Public Hospital, and ambulance operations at the National Chest Hospital.

Ambulance drivers assigned to the Kingston and St Andrew Health Department have agreed to return to work following emergency talks on Tuesday, ending two days of industrial action that disrupted public health services across the region.

The Ministry of Labour and Social Security, which convened the meeting, said the decision to resume duties was reached after discussions involving the Jamaica Association of Local Government Officers (JALGO), representatives from the South East Regional Health Authority (SERHA), and the health department's management.

The drivers, represented by JALGO, staged a sick-out on Monday and Tuesday, citing long delays in overtime payments and grievances over their overall work arrangements, including calls for the upgrading of their posts.

The action impacted several services, including mental health outreach, nursing support at Kingston Public Hospital, and ambulance operations at the National Chest Hospital.

"Arising from the Agreement from today’s meeting, the Drivers have agreed to resume normalcy at the Kingston and St Andrew Health Department beginning today (Wednesday)," the ministry said in a statement.

A follow-up conciliation meeting is scheduled for September 10 at the labour ministry.

Ahead of Tuesday’s meeting, SERHA said it had activated contingency plans to limit the fallout from the sick-out, including arrangements with private ambulance providers.

The authority maintains that transport logistics remain the responsibility of individual health facilities under its decentralised system.

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