The president of the union representing paramedics with Essex-Windsor EMS says, 'the status quo is failing and the system is falling apart.'
CUPE 2974 President James Jovanovic told AM800's Mornings with Mike and Meg that issues around recruitment, retention, and burnout prevention are impacting his members, which then has an impact on the public.
"We can't keep qualified paramedics as fast as we're losing them. This has been going on for quite a while; we've been sounding the alarm for quite some time now. The system is just getting stretched thinner and thinner," he says.
The union, which represents roughly 320 local paramedics, announced Thursday that its members have voted 100 per cent in favour of strike action to back contract demands.
Jovanovic says service is short roughly 50 paramedics to meet the needs of residents.
He says that wages are another issue with local police and fire making over 20 per cent more than paramedics.
"This wasn't something that happened overnight, and it's not because of any unique risk that those professions face that we don't, not to say they're identical. Over the last 25 years, this was because of policy and political decisions that have simply allowed for EMS to be held to a lower standard and put us into this second-class, first-responder status," he says.
EMS is an essential service, and Jovanovic says any strike action would need to be determined by the Ontario Labour Relations Board, with direction expected this spring, but he thinks there could be a reduction of service if a strike happens.
CUPE Local 2974 has put forward proposals to the County of Essex focused on recruitment, retention, and burnout prevention, along with fair wages and benefits that recognize paramedics as essential first responders.
He says people should be concerned because crews are exhausted, they're losing experienced paramedics, and when that happens, the ambulances sit empty.
"At this point we have no other alternative but to call for the public's help and speak out to county councillors and to our elected leaders and representatives and say that we need to take a stronger and deeper look at these systems and the protections around them," he says.
Contract talks resume February 23.
A statement provided by the County of Essex says they respect the collective bargaining process, and have engaged in positive discussions in recent days with the union representing Essex-Windsor EMS paramedics.
The statement adds that they remain committed to reaching a fair and sustainable agreement that recognizes the employees and the important work they perform every day for residents of Windsor, Essex County, and Pelee Island.