Two Maryborough paramedics said they were threatened yesterday with disciplinary action and having their pay docked if they continued with a 10-hour rest break.

Their union, Ambulance Employees Australia, is at loggerheads with Ambulance Victoria about rest breaks.

Victorian paramedics are entitled to eight-hour breaks between shifts, but have requested 10-hour breaks as part of their enterprise bargaining agreement.

Maryborough paramedics started a 10-hour rest break at 3.30am yesterday.

However, they told dispatch they were still available for jobs until 8am.

At 8am, the two paramedics went on a fatigue break and said they would return to work at 1.30pm.

Ambulance Employees Australia state secretary Steve McGhie said paramedics were not to be disturbed while on fatigue breaks.

He said that the two paramedics in question received a phone call from an Ambulance Victoria manager at 11.30am.

“They were directed to go immediately back to work and if they didn’t comply they would have their pay docked and could face serious disciplinary action,” Mr McGhie said.

The paramedics returned to work, where they filled out paperwork detailing the fact that they were too fatigued to return.

An Ambulance Victoria manager released them from duty about 1.30pm.

Ambulance Victoria executive general manager for regional operations Greg Leech did not deny the threats yesterday, and said he had no choice but to enforce the Workplace Relations Act.

“We are required by law to dock their pay by four hours (if paramedics take a 10-hour break),” he said.

Mr Leech said it was not yet clear how changes to legislation on July 1 would affect this.

Maryborough faced further problems on Sunday evening when a man with a reportedly life-threatening condition waited about 30 minutes for an ambulance.

Mr McGhie said this was because the duty crew had to travel to Ballarat twice to transport patients.