Treasurer Rob Lucas said he was disappointed that the Ambulance Employees Association (AEA) was not ready to reach agreement with the State Government today to resolve the union's ongoing industrial relations dispute.
The Government was set to strike a deal today, however the union was unwilling to compromise, and therefore mediation in the SA Employment Tribunal is deferred until next week.
Mr Lucas said the Government was ready to compromise, offering at least an extra 50 ambulance officers conditional upon the union agreeing to sensible roster reform, ambos taking meal breaks at their nearest station and cessation of industrial action.
Even more ambulance officers would be employed upon the finalisation of all enterprise bargaining negotiations.
"It's clearly disappointing that the union wasn't ready to reach agreement with the Government today so we could resolve this dispute for the benefit of hardworking paramedics and all South Australians who rely on them," Mr Lucas said.
"We've made it quite clear we're willing to compromise - we've put at least an extra 50 ambulance officers on the table conditional upon sensible roster and meal break reforms and the cessation of industrial action.
"We have also promised to invest in even more ambulance officers once all enterprise bargaining negotiations with the union have been finalised.
"The only way to resolve any kind of dispute is for both parties to compromise and the Government is, once again, calling on the union to compromise."
Mediation in the SA Employment Tribunal will resume on Tuesday at 11am.
