Paramedics want parity with other city services, vote in favour of strike action

If a strike happens, rural and remote paramedics will cut 25 per cent of their services and won’t be the ones answering calls at night, says the president of CAW Local 229.

About 70 percent of the CAW Local 229 members from 14 remote and rural Superior North Emergency Medical Services paramedic stations throughout the region of Thunder Bay came out to vote between Feb. 21 and 23. The members voted 100 per cent in favour of a strike action if an agreement could not be reached with the City of Thunder Bay.

President Canadian Autoworkers Local 229 Kari Jefford told Tbnewswatch.com on Saturday that about 90 rural and remote EMS workers want parity with city paramedics as both do the same amount of work.

A strike would affect paramedic stations in Nipigon, Red Rock, Marathon, Manitouwadge, Terrace Bay, Schreiber, Beardmore, Upsala, Conmee, Shunia, Armstrong, Geraldton, Nakina and Longlac.

By law, only 25 per cent of the workforce can withdraw and go on strike. But many of the essential services offered in the regions will be impacted, she said.

Paramedics would continue to respond to priority calls but management will handle the 12-hour evening on call service and anything else that isn't considered urgent, she said.

"It will have a huge impact," Jefford said. "There will be paramedics in the trucks during regular hours but there won’t be any servicing done, none of the day-to-day stuff that they normally would do. If a call or accident came in at night, the manager would have to be there on call."

Rural and remote EMS workers receive $2.85 an hour extra to be on call and the rate hasn't gone up in several years. Jefford said the paramedics want a pay raise for that amount of time. City paramedics aren’t forced to go on call because the ambulance base is a mandatory 24-hour service, she added.

Ultimately, the members want to go to the table, negotiate a deal, and avoid costing the city more through arbitration, she said.

Mayor Keith Hobbs said he wasn’t aware of the issue and would have to talk to City Manager Tim Commisso before he could make a comment.

At-Large Coun. Ken Boshcoff did meet with Jefford before the vote last week. He said he attended because he wanted to know what all the issues were since CAW covered many services including the EMS.

Boshcoff added he needed to look into the issue more.

Conciliation talks between CAW Local 229 and the City of Thunder Bay will take place between March 8 and 9.