Rotorua St John members affected by strike action appear to have adopted a mufti protest.

Otherwise essential services have not been affected.

St John Rotorua area committee chair Ross Burn says he had not heard of the Kawerau method of protest but Rotorua Now asked him to comment on graffiti affixed to ambulances in Kawerau over the weekend.

He says he is aware ambulances are being smeared with graffiti in the Waikato region.

The nature of protest in Rotorua involved one or two members not wearing uniforms when on duty.

Ross, who is not involved in the operational side of St John in Rotorua, says the strike action has made 'some donors pretty annoyed”.

In general, the sentiment conveyed that the action was not 'very good for an organisation which is a community service, not for profit organisation”.

He says the strike is about First Union, to which St John employees are attached, and 'certainly actions are going to be taken against First Union”.

It's a delicate matter for staff amid sensitive negotiations, says Ross.

While no service had been ignored, 'some staff had chosen not to wear uniforms – but there is no other action by Rotorua staff at all”.

Ross says he's not that close to operations other than the recipient of 'the odd comment I hear from time to time”.

He says the strike action is disappointing.

'There are various unions involved – it's very sensitive.”

In Rotorua, however, it's a case of business as usual.

'To all intents and purposes, it is very normal and I'm disappointed people have put graffiti over some of the ambulances.”