Windsor-Essex paramedics are another step closer to potential strike action.
The Ontario Labour Relations Board issued its decision on the region’s Essential Ambulance Services Agreement, approving an overall 20 per cent reduction of services across Essex-Windsor EMS.
In a statement, the County of Essex says they respect the Board’s authority and will comply with the decision, but says the ruling allows for a lower level of service than the County had sought.
CUPE 2974 President James Jovanovic says as of right now there is no strike action planned, with the first of three tentative bargaining dates set for August 5.
However, he says Wednesday’s Essex County council meeting will be critical. According to Jovanovic, county administration needs council approval to improve its previous offer. Without that direction, he says the tentative bargaining dates will be cancelled, moving the union closer to possible labour action.
Jovanovic says the ruling would result in a 20 per cent reduction in service levels if a labour disruption were to occur.
“That’s not all from frontline transporting ambulances, but across all services that we provide. It’s bittersweet, though we’re happy to have one step of this process complete and behind us, unfortunately, it brings us closer to a potential labour action, which nobody wants, no paramedic wants.”
He says despite the ruling, the union’s focus remains on reaching a negotiated settlement rather than moving toward a strike.
“Right now, we’re looking ahead towards still trying to reach a freely negotiated deal. However, if there’s no reported movement by the County of Essex prior to our next day of bargaining, which is tentatively scheduled for August 5th, then those future dates will be cancelled and we’ll have to unfortunately move forward with the process towards a labour action.”
The union has consistently argued that staffing shortages, growing call volumes and paramedic burnout are major concerns at the bargaining table.
Jovanovic says accepting a deal that falls behind agreements reached elsewhere in Ontario would make those challenges worse.
“Unfortunately, to this point, the County of Essex has not provided an offer that even provides us maintaining pace. If we were to accept a below-market offer, then that would simply exacerbate all of the deficiencies that we’ve faced locally with down staffing of ambulances, with code blacks, and would make recruitment and retention more difficult.”
CUPE Local 2974 represents about 340 paramedics who have been without a new collective agreement since conciliation ended on May 8.
Jovanovic says if a deal cannot be negotiated, the union can file a No Board Report. After the report is accepted by the Ontario Labour Relations Board, the clock will begin to count down 17 days to a potential strike.
For now, Essex-Windsor EMS continues to operate normally.