industrial action, if enterprise bargaining negotiations are not resolved.

Free ambulance rides for patients could be the result if industrial action is taken for better pay, more staff and rest breaks, warned Ambulance Employees Australia state secretary Steve McGhie.

He said paramedics' work agreements expired yesterday, but the parties had not reached an agreement despite almost four months of negotiations.

"Inflation has reached 4.5 per cent yet paramedics are being offered annual increases of 3.25 per cent. Basically, they're being offered a pay cut. How can they accept that?" Mr McGhie said.

"Ambulance Victoria still hasn't responded to paramedics' demand for 10-hour rest breaks between shifts to deal with fatigue."

Mr McGhie said paramedics could not wait up to 18 months to have issues including fatigue and understaffing resolved.

In the past three years, negotiations with police, nurses and teachers have taken up to 18 months to resolve with workers forced to take industrial action before gaining the government's full attention.

"It seems paramedics are being forced into taking industrial action, which is extremely regrettable," Mr McGhie said.

"We would hope any types of industrial action would not affect the community. It would be more running of services, payment and no billing, which we have done in the past."

Mr McGhie said the government was trying to recruit 258 more paramedics, but no-one would be interested if there was no fair pay increases.

He said he hoped the Enterprise Bargaining Agreement would be resolved in the next four to six weeks.

Ambulance Victoria regional general manager Greg Leach said AV and the government were currently in negotiations with the AEA over an EBA, which happened every four years.

"AV recognises the value of its paramedics and the great work they do and we have been meeting with the AEA on their behalf to discuss the current log of claims," Mr Leach said.

"Wage negotiations can take time to work through. However, AV believes that all parties want a good outcome for AV staff and the community, and we are committed to working with the AEA to find a quick resolution to the EBA negotiations that

is in the best interests of staff and the organisation."