Talks between B.C.'s striking paramedics and the provincial ambulance service collapsed Friday and no new date was set for them to resume. The 35,000 ambulance paramedics have been on strike since April 1. They're looking for faster ambulance response times, better staffing levels and wage parity with other emergency responders. The union has asked for a seven per cent wage increase every year for three years, while the employer, the B.C. Ambulance Service, offered a three per cent hike in a one-year deal. Union spokesperson B.J. Chute accused the ambulance service of repeatedly presenting the same deal. "This time all they did was drop the original signing bonus — they didn't even change the date on the package they presented from the one they gave us in March," Chute said in a written statement. He added that the government's bargaining team doesn't appear to have a mandate to make any significant decisions. "We have been pushing for an independent arbitrator to be appointed so we can settle this dispute."
2 comments:
There is an error in this article. It should likely read 3500 Paramedics, otherwise their wages are more than the Provinicial Govt. budget>
Robert is right:
There are more than 3,500 paramedics in B.C. — 1,400 full-time and 2,100 part-time — who will all be in a strike position when the current contract expires at the end of March.
http://www.vancouversun.com/Health/paramedics+could+strike+this+April/1219881/story.html
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