unions?

[+medic]

Here is a question for everyone............

AMR in the states is a union shop for the most part. What I want to know how well does the union work for Americas biggest Privet Ambulance Service? I ask this since it could be used a a base line to guage the oringinal posters question.

[Richard B the EMT]

Rumormill has it, FDNY might go this route, unconfirmed

[JPINFV]

Point is in today's day and age if your not not represented in some way you are the least likely to have any job security.

...because union members don't get laid off?

What about all the fields that don't have labor unions. How many physicians do you know that are out of work?

[JPINFV]

Unions:

Because job security is more important than doing a good job.

http://www.weeklystandard.com/blogs/obama-education-reform-real-or-fake_537368.html

[tniuqs]

...because union members don't get laid off?

What about all the fields that don't have labor unions. How many physicians do you know that are out of work?

1- Rhetorical question, at least lay off are done fairly in regards to seniority and not who is the highest paid or blows the boss the best.

2- I have no idea why you insist on comparing Paramedics to MD's. I personally would rather look at the RN level in organisation / structure as a model it is much closer to what the future could look like for First Responders.

There is not one MD I know that is not involved in multiple "associations" with political and economic influence, on a far different level and who is this Obama guy .. I think I heard he was the no fly list in Kanukistan.

cheers

[rock_shoes]

I’m going to preface this post a bit by saying, Happiness this is not meant as a personal attack in any way shape or form. I understand and respect that you work for BCAS to serve your community. I do however fundamentally disagree with some of the principles you have laid out in this discussion. I wrote what follows a little while ago and purposely let it sit for some time before posting it to see if I still felt the same way. I still do.

This was a once in a lifetime opportunity for our paramedics to be part of Olymic's and there were some fringe benifits that went with going.

PUT DOWN THE COOL-AID! We may have some serious issues with our current union representation but that is not an excuse for the treatment paramedic staff received at the hands of the current provincial regime in BC. Would I have loved to spend some time working special ops during the Olympics? Absolutely. Was I willing to do that considering the mistreatment received by paramedic staff? Absolutely not. I spent that entire time frame in the middle of nowhere working industrial doing everything possible to completely steer clear. I HATE WORKING INDUSTRIAL.

If you remember correctly there was an actual black list of those paramedics and they were threatened, some of their homes were damaged with their families terrified inside and alot of them had their tires slashed ect

I do not condone these actions. Provided there is sufficient evidence those involved should be charged.

Now to the stopping of overtime, I do get this and I think that the Government was a bully to go to court and get the injunction that stated "If you were able to pull extra time before the strike you are required to do it now" but on the other side of that coin, who is going to suffer the most if the paramedics didn't do the OT. Have pts be taken care of by Managers that have been out of the field for years, that dosn't sound right to me. In this strike I did do what I was told out of respect of my fellow paramedics. I didn't really want to after all of the bad behaviour but I did. And FYI Squint please keep in mind with these strike's it isn't the part timers that benifit, it is the full time employee's yet I pay the same union dues and only get half the benifits.

So staff should just continue working themselves into an early grave for the “patients?” At some point it has to stop. Having a full primary career outside of EMS allows you the luxury of only working EMS when you want to. Not everyone has that luxury. I’m not saying the part-time community paramedics should disappear but they need to realise they’re on the way out in much of the province. The current and upcoming generations are career minded right from the beginning. They’ve invested in their own education and the majority have every intention of becoming full-time employees at the first available opportunity. Any career minded part-time paramedic benefits by working to better the position of full-time paramedics. More full time positions mean less time scraping by as a part-time/all-the-time BCAS drone. Union dues by the way are a straight percentage of your earnings. The more you make the more you pay.

I personally feel that I am very well paid for my job. If you think about it through labour laws, if I am called out I get paid for 4 hrs. Most of the time my call lasts for 1.5 hrs and many times less. I even get paid for the calls that get cancelled and I do nothing. My wage on an hourly rate goes from 26 to 104 per hour. Like I said before I do this for my community but I do understand that a full timers postition is harder as they have higher living costs and I do, do my part in supporting them.

None of this is any different than what’s received by anyone spending time on call under BC labour standards. What exactly is your point here? You do seem to be missing the point that our on-call stipend is still $2.00/hour. You’re also failing to place any value on the fact that spending time on call prevents you from leaving town, making any kind of set plans, or doing anything whatsoever you can’t drop at a moments notice. You might not be busting your rear during all your time on call but you are still making sacrifices for a stipend that, quite frankly, is insulting.

[tniuqs]

PUT DOWN THE COOL-AID!

Yikes that's harsh !

What next put down your marshmallows.

I HATE WORKING INDUSTRIAL.

Hey : Its all what you make of it (we in Canada / US are way behind the Brits and OZ) I like working industrial, its just another area one can specialize in, an increased scope of practice, way less pressure, less hallway medicine, longer contact time with patients, my own personalized kits, lots of "me time", way more chopper time (fires) cool blow outs, great scenery, travel on the company dime and the ok that PHAT pay check.

p.s. the paycheck is due to previous union influences and dreaded concern of possible Industrial Paramedic Union, the bottom line, FEAR of organized labour I highly suspect.

Edited February 2, 2011 by tniuqs