The union representing ambulance paramedics has rejected a last-ditch offer of a 90-day "cooling-off period" and is proceeding with a largely symbolic strike Wednesday, the union president says. Health Minister George Abbott met with union and B.C. Ambulance Service officials on Monday to offer an extension of a signing bonus and renewed negotiations if there was no strike action. CUPE local 873 president John Strohmaier said Tuesday he turned it down, and he was expecting pickets to go up at the administrative office shortly after midnight when the union contract and the signing bonus offer both expire. The essential services standard set by the Labour Relations Board requires more ambulances to be staffed than are on the road without a strike, Strohmaier said. As long as the dispute lasts, he said the union will press for every available ambulance to be in use. "On a daily basis, there's anywhere from 20 to 50 ambulances they choose not to staff," Strohmaier said.
B.C. Ambulance Service has offered a three per cent wage increase and signing bonuses of up to $4,100 for full-time paramedics and up to $2,600 for part-timers. The union is seeking seven per cent in each of the next three years, to bring wages closer to those of police and firefighters. Abbott said the 90-day voluntary extension would get the government over the election period where the legislature can't be called back to consider back-to-work legislation. Strohmaier said the joint committee framework was tried in the past few years, with both union and management recommending at least four more ambulances to address shortages in the Lower Mainland. He said the government's "hired gun," acting B.C. Ambulance Service president Lee Doney, wouldn't accept the recommendation and he sees no change to that. The union has asked for veteran mediator Vince Ready to assist, but the government has been reluctant to do that, he said.
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