sirduke Posted November 2, 2008 Posted November 2, 2008 Ahh, but what did you have to endure to get that Slacker schedule Dust? Think I'll opt for the 24/48 myself. (I had no idea what a Kelly shift was either, but we aren't aflicted with Fire thankfully)
mstovall Posted November 3, 2008 Posted November 3, 2008 My biggest concern is that as minimum wage has increased, our wages haven't increased in like proportions. Our starting wages haven't increased but 3% for the last three years. That is roughly a $.25 raise each year. Minimum wage will increase next year in our area by approx. $.50. We keep losing ground on our earning potential. Next year individuals will only be making $.46 more than minimum where about 4 years ago they were making $1.50 more per hour. People are compensating by picking up more and more extra shifts, either with us or a surrounding agency. I was wafraid that we were the only ones facing this in our area, and then found that several other agencies having even been getting a cost of living increase at all. Michael
spenac Posted November 3, 2008 Posted November 3, 2008 My biggest concern is that as minimum wage has increased, our wages haven't increased in like proportions. Our starting wages haven't increased but 3% for the last three years. That is roughly a $.25 raise each year. Minimum wage will increase next year in our area by approx. $.50. We keep losing ground on our earning potential. Next year individuals will only be making $.46 more than minimum where about 4 years ago they were making $1.50 more per hour. People are compensating by picking up more and more extra shifts, either with us or a surrounding agency. I was wafraid that we were the only ones facing this in our area, and then found that several other agencies having even been getting a cost of living increase at all. Michael Sounds like you guys need to organize. Not unionize, but organize. There have been services in my area getting ripped off and they got the media involved. Informed everyone that would listen that because of low pay they were about to not have enough people to operate ambulances. Real quick public outcry led to huge pay raises. There never was a walkout, etc. Just word that there would possibly be no ambulance got all the blue hairs stirred up and politicians got busy and money that they claimed did not exist was magically found. Do not make threats, just present the fact that with cost of living, etc that many are being forced to look for new professions. Now if you are stuck in diploma mill capital with a million homeless unemployed EMT's I am not sure of it working.
stiches Posted November 4, 2008 Posted November 4, 2008 I work as a casual EMR, as I go to school to become a PCP. At the current I make $17.65 an hour.
jasmine314 Posted November 4, 2008 Posted November 4, 2008 IMHO, SW MO is a horrible job market for us! I received my EMT-B certification awhile ago and applied to the 2 hospitals in the area...... nothing.... I applied again, and called and spoke to their HR department and hiring managers multiple times.... still nothing... I went though this over and over... Seriously, if I wasn't even going to get an INTERVIEW... what is the point of paying for the classes and using all my time to study?!?!?! It's now been over a year since I got certified; I have still not been contacted even for an interview. I''ll be starting EMT-P classes this summer, but I have been sort of wondering if it is even worth it. I guess I will have to move if I expect to get a job! And just for those of you that are wondering: there was NO reason I should not have been granted an interview. I was at the top of my class, passed the tests on the first try, have no employment gaps, nothing. I'm not sure about EMT-Ps, but the starting pay for an EMT-B here is now about $8.50 or $8.75. And yes, the cost of living is pretty low, but not THAT low.
Ridryder 911 Posted November 4, 2008 Posted November 4, 2008 Seriously, if I wasn't even going to get an INTERVIEW... what is the point of paying for the classes and using all my time to study?!?!?! It's now been over a year since I got certified; I have still not been contacted even for an interview. I''ll be starting EMT-P classes this summer, but I have been sort of wondering if it is even worth it. I guess I will have to move if I expect to get a job! And just for those of you that are wondering: there was NO reason I should not have been granted an interview. I was at the top of my class, passed the tests on the first try, have no employment gaps, nothing. Here is the reason they did not interview you. They probably had NO job vacancy for a basic. You were top in your Basic EMT course... so? I don't even let students know if they are or are not.. no reason too. EMT is just one class. Saying such would be similar to saying "I was top in Psychology 101 course!". You should had been informed that Basic EMT's are a dime a dozen. If they had an EMT opening, it probably went to an EMT already in Paramedic school. Remember, it is a competitive position and those that demonstrated that they are serious or already have experience than are advancing will be chosen over new graduates. R/r 911
tophattommy2 Posted November 4, 2008 Posted November 4, 2008 IMHO, SW MO I'm not sure about EMT-Ps, but the starting pay for an EMT-B here is now about $8.50 or $8.75. And yes, the cost of living is pretty low, but not THAT low. I make $8.40 an hour after a year and a half. I am "only" a basic but my service will not hire paramedics. Starting pay at McDonalds in the area is better than $10.00/hr. The town that I live in has average rent, running at about $500.00 a month for a timy studio. A rental house in the area with 2 or 3 bedrooms is as much as $1200 a month. County clerks (secretaries) start out at more than $12/hr. [hr:c8062c7c6a] How do we become united to FIX this problem instead of complaining about it. [hr:c8062c7c6a] How is it that the fire services have retirement, EXCELENT pay, paid training, federal funding, and UNITY? Fireman work very hard when they work; EMS works hard when they work; Why does EMS get treated like the red headed step child?
Dustdevil Posted November 4, 2008 Posted November 4, 2008 Fireman work very hard when they work; EMS works hard when they work; Why does EMS get treated like the red headed step child? What, exactly, do you think a three week first aid course should earn you? Especially when, as Jasmine showed us, there are fifty of you for every available position, and more than half of them willing to do it for free? The firemonkeys have nothing to do with this, anymore than plumbers or barbers or astronauts have anything to do with it. We are our own biggest problem.
tniuqs Posted November 5, 2008 Posted November 5, 2008 I work as a casual EMR, as I go to school to become a PCP. At the current I make $17.65 an hour. first off, maybe look at the flags. apples and obamas
EMS49393 Posted November 5, 2008 Posted November 5, 2008 St. John's Hospital doesn't hire basics anymore. They haven't hired them in years, with one exception, and that is to staff their transport truck. They have been slowly phasing out the basic and going to double medic trucks. They are VERY pro education, and strive to be the best extension of the ER they can be. They're probably the best of the best in EMS in southwest Missouri. They pay new paramedics around 12.50/hour, but there is a catch. If you were not educated in the St. John/SBU paramedic course, you are required to successfully pass a refresher taught by Bob Page. You also have roughly 90 days of a field training officer pointing out every mistake you make and belittling you into submission. That's how they work, they break you down so they can build you up. If you have any crappy habits, you won't when you're finished orientation there. Those guys earn every bit of their arrogance, and there isn't one ER doc at the hospital that would say otherwise. The service we are talking about isn't as hard core as St. John's. It's more a who you know type of place. They're also not really actively interested in any basics. They're trying to create double medic trucks as well. They got a new medical director a few years ago, and he's been weeding through the current medics, and eliminating anyone that doesn't cut it. You have to understand, these services carry a lot of drugs. St. John's carries RSI drugs and thrombolytics. You just don't hand out paralytics to just any paramedic with a card. There is a lot of intensive education that goes along with the privilege of having so many options. The pay doesn't match the intensity. But, there are A LOT of paramedics working as garbage men in southwestern Missouri. Supply and demand. Oh, and rid, I'm not leaving EMS because I think nursing is the goose that laid the golden egg. I'm not giving up my paramedic. My interests have changed. Because of my experience with St. John's, I'm diehard on cardiology. I LOVE LOVE LOVE it. I want to continue being a paramedic with a critical care team. I would also love to be a cath lab nurse. It's not about money, it's about passion. My passion has shifted from straight EMS to cardiac. I've always wanted to do something great, and now that I've found my niche, I might just be able to now.
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