EMS talks falter over wage offer

[Just Plain Ruff]

I'm all for more money but not at the expense of those you serve. The strike would hurt nobody but those they serve.

there are alternatives to a strike like mentioned above.

Plus, it puts a bad label on the striking employees.

If you ask anyone who has seen other groups strike and ask them what they think they are strking for I can almost guarantee you that the general response would be "they want more money" which may or may not be true, but that is the impression that most people have.

[EMSEDU]

A few things to consider:

1) very few CEMS medics want to strike - however, the city knows that the public will look down on such action, and are using such knowledge as a bargaining tool - as in, calling their bluff. CEMS knows that the ONLY way to negotiate with the City of Calgary is to strike. It has been proved previously, in CEMS and in other City Services.

2) there will still be ambulance service in Calgary. the list of non-union EMT/EMT-Ps is long, and i expect they will receive calls from the City this week to check on their availability in the event of a strike.

3) if the City is smart, they will zip it and start being a little generous. CEMS is losing employees daily to the industrial section. the city spent a fortune in the last 12 months recruiting for new medics and emt's. they could have saved their money if they treated their employees better to begin with.

4) every calgary medic paid close attention to contract talks between the city and fire in the past few years. i don't think the medics are asking too much by expecting to receive pay that is equivalent to fire. and i'll bite my tongue now and leave it at that.

[kevkei]

Based on past history, tf it gets to a strike vote, the intent is to use it as a bargaining tool not to walk off the job.

A few things to consider:

2) the list of non-union EMT/EMT-Ps is long, and i expect they will receive calls from the City this week to check on their availability in the event of a strike.

I disagree that the list is long. People are having a hard enough time solving their own problems these days (recruitment, staffing, etc) let alone helping someone else.

Another thing to consider is Edmonton EMS isn't far behind in their contract talks. What will happen with them?

[kevkei]

I guess part of the problem is the perception if what is an acceptable wage as demonstrated here Big Bucks for Basics

If people are happy making $9.50 an hour and a $0.50/hour raise is enough then I can see why there would be outrage when people making $30+/hour want a 10% raise.

[EMTScrub]

The city of Calgary has a tendency to not like to negotiate with unions. As mentioned before VERY few Calgary EMS workers want a strike. It happened once before in this city, and I think everyone involved is trying to avert a strike.

For those of you who are making a big deal of the "high" wages of these employees should probably take a look at the current cost of living of Calgary. The AVERAGE price of a house in this city is nearing a half million dollars. That's just an average house. The cost of gas has been well above $1/litre for months now. Interesting, since the oil is extracted on our front door. That's not to mention the cost of health care (which is not fully funded in Alberta), the cost of day care (if you are lucky enough to find a place), the land taxes, and many other factors. As far as the $75,000/year as an average...no one has any idea where that even comes from!! I don't know of many paramedics or EMTs in Calgary that only have one job. Maybe combined between the two or three jobs they hold down, they might hit that mark...

Finally, Calgary EMS has been without a contract for the past year. That means the union, which could have taken action long ago, chose to try and settle things without going to this extreme...

Just my 2 cents.

[rock_shoes]

First off. Good luck to those working for Calgary EMS in getting a pay raise. Just because some of our brethren to the south are willing to work for peanuts doesn't mean we should do the same. I currently make $25 an hour labouring in a sawmill while I try to get on with BCAS (interview's next friday so wish me luck). There is no way an EMT/PCP or EMT-P/ACP should make a similar hourly wage to a general labourer.

Secondly. How in the he!! has EMS failed to be declared an essential service in Alta.? I'll be the first to admit that BC politics are loopy as can be but at least we got that one right.

[kevkei]

Secondly. How in the he!! has EMS failed to be declared an essential service in Alta.? I'll be the first to admit that BC politics are loopy as can be but at least we got that one right.

I would suspect that just as a strike vote is a bargaining tool, so too is the fact that we aren't declared essential. From what I understand, if declared an essential service, yes it removes your right to strike but it also changes how they would rule in arbitration and it could benefit the bargaining units. Take for example, maybe we get compared to RN's when it comes to salary (not to suggest that would be the case)?

It would definately make a big difference salary wise for private and rural services.

[rock_shoes]

I would suspect that just as a strike vote is a bargaining tool, so too is the fact that we aren't declared essential. From what I understand, if declared an essential service, yes it removes your right to strike but it also changes how they would rule in arbitration and it could benefit the bargaining units. Take for example, maybe we get compared to RN's when it comes to salary (not to suggest that would be the case)?

It would definitely make a big difference salary wise for private and rural services.

The one thing about being declared an essential service that I've seen with my Dad's occupation (CAMRT registered X-ray tech), is that arbitration becomes much more likely. On another note maybe you should be compared to RN's to some degree. I know my Dad's yearly earnings are comparable to an RN's.