Cornwall ON – An article entitled “Paramedics set for vote on strike mandate” appearing in the February 16th, 2011 edition of the Standard Freeholder dealt with the potential ramifications should local paramedics (members of CUPE 5734) go out on strike. The article speculated about potential reductions in levels of service should a strike action occur.
Levels of ambulance service during a labour dispute are specified in an “Essential Services Agreement” (ESA). Under the Ontario Ambulance Services Collective Bargaining Act, employers and bargaining agents are required to negotiate the terms of the ESA prior to the commencement of collective bargaining. The Act is designed to provide bargaining units with a meaningful right to strike, and employers with a meaningful right to lock out employees. As the Employer, the City has committed to not lock out paramedics under any circumstances.
Prior to the current round of bargaining, a new ESA was put in place, which was unchanged from the previous document. The ESA governing ambulance services in Cornwall and SD&G specifies that 25% of the current complement of paramedics be required to undertake their duties during the strike. This is the maximum service level allowable under the legislation, in the absence of agreement between both parties to higher levels.
The City of Cornwall remains committed to reaching a negotiated Collective Agreement with its Paramedic employees.
Am I missing siomething here –
During a strike it takes only 22 paramedics to keep us safe; while during regular working conditions it takes 90 –
Could someone please explain this to me!
Agreed yet again with Joe Gunn.. This is ridiculous..
Grimmie, you’re slipping over the edge into the abyss!
I find it surprising that we even tolerate City Council treating the Paramedics in this laid-back way! These contracts should be negotiated a year before they end and a new collective agreement made that will take precedence when the old one expires. Is it too much to ask Council to do it’s damn job? If we, in the private sector, worked this way we’d all be fired!
Stan it’s not council’s job to negotiate contracts. Not at all, and negotiation’s are a two way street. If there is only so much money in the cookie jar and the other party wants more than is there you have a stand off.
Nothing against either party; it’s just hard to blindly lash out at one side; especially if they’re not at the table 🙂
This whole situation is uncalled for. Did the City not learn their lesson 3 years ago?.My husband is one of the paramedics affected and so will our family. I agree with what they are fighting for but for those of us with families I feel it is selfish of the close to retirement employees and the young paramedics without families to vote to strike. We are still trying to recover from the last strike. The bottom line is the City is unwilling to negoitiate and strike won’t change that!