Ambulance Victoria (AV) will move on Monday to prevent paramedics from taking their first strike action in 36 years.
AV has applied to Fair Work Australia to stop the Ambulance Employees' Association (AEA) from withdrawing 49 out of 400 rostered shifts on Wednesday in rolling four-hour stoppages over a 15-month campaign for better wages and breaks of at least 10 hours between shifts.
Only Victoria and Western Australia paramedics have eight-hour breaks between shifts. Colleagues in most other states are allowed 10-hour breaks.
The Fair Work Australia hearing will begin at 10am (AEST) on Monday.
Last week, Ambulance Victoria chief executive Greg Sassella described the planned strike as "reckless".
AEA Victorian secretary Steve McGhie said response times might be slower for non-urgent cases but no Victorian would be at risk because of the strike.
"Our strike action will create annoyance for Ambulance Victoria but it will not result in any risk to patients," he said.
"The biggest threat to the health and welfare of patients right now is paramedic fatigue."
Last week, Mr McGhie would not confirm whether the AEA pay claim was for an average 11 per cent, as claimed by AV, but said paramedics wanted more than the government's policy of 2.5 per cent and were seeking similar wages to nurses.
On Friday, ambulance workers reintroduced earlier work bans that include taking 10-hour breaks between shifts against AV policy, not charging patients for care, banning recalls to duty during rest breaks and reverting to paper-based patient care records.
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