THE row over ambulance service meal breaks re-erupted last night after it emerged that two paramedics were sacked because they did not respond to a 999 call.

The men, who worked for the Yorkshire Ambulance Service in North Yorkshire, are appealing against the decision.

Union officials have not ruled out the possibility of industrial action.

It is understood that both men were midway through a 12-hour shift last month when the 999 call came in. They said they could not respond because one of the men felt sick.

It is not yet known the nature of the emergency call or its outcome.

The Yorkshire Ambulance Service (YAS) said yesterday that the paramedics were not on a meal break at the time, but this was refuted by the GMB union.

John Durkin, GMB branch secretary for the ambulance service, said: "I can't go into detail, because there is an appeal, but there is a serious question of health and safety rules being broken on behalf of my two colleagues.

"They were in the window of a meal break that they should have had.

"If the YAS wish to debate this with me then I will sit down with them at any venue and have a discussion. If we resolve it, that will give stability to ambulance personnel within the Yorkshire area."

One of the paramedics had 23 years of service and the other 15. They are believed to have been based in the eastern part of the county.

YAS was formed last July by a merger of the services covering North, West and South Yorkshire.

The new group inherited different meal break arrangements for each area.

In North Yorkshire, paramedics receive an availability payment of about £1,500 a year, which means they respond to calls during breaks.

The system was set up because of the sparse nature of the county's ambulance stations.

Mr Durkin said the possibility of industrial action could not be discounted. "I will rule nothing out in any case that I am involved in," he said.

"When the three services merged, North Yorkshire were offered a £1,500 pay-off to respond to 999 calls during their meal breaks.

"In doing that, it does not rule out the actual rule of law over health and safety matters."

A spokeswoman for Yorkshire Ambulance Service said: "We have communicated a decision to a couple of individuals and they are appealing against that decision.

"I can't make any other comment because it might be prejudicial to the future of the case."

6:02am Friday 2nd February 2007

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