New Bargaining Unit For Paramedics, Dispatchers

Ambulance paramedics and dispatchers in BC will be getting a new bargaining unit.

Health minister Adrian Dix says the province has started the process to create a standalone bargaining unit for the 36-hundred workers as part of CUPE local 873.

“We listened on how we could support paramedics and dispatchers in bringing forward ideas as we work to achieve our common goals of faster response times and improved patient care,” says Dix. “Recommending a standalone bargaining unit for these critical front-line members of the health-care system is a key step toward improving services together.”

The ambulance staff are currently members of the Facilities Bargaining Association, which is composed of 11 unions and led by the Hospital Employees’ Union.

Vernon paramedic Dean Perry thinks it will be a huge improvement, and feels their petition aimed at a change earlier this year, played a role.

“That’s what the petition was about: getting us out of the Facilities Bargaining Association, and at that time we thought getting into the police and fire group would do that, but that was the number one objective,” Perry tells Kiss FM

Perry says the change will allow the paramedics and dispatcher’s concerns to be bargained  separately from other entities in the FBA like housekeeping and hospital lab techs.

“I would think response times, training, response allocation, all that stuff, could be better addressed,” adds Perry.

Bronwyn Barter, CUPE Local 873 president says the creation of a standalone bargaining unit for B.C.’s paramedics and dispatchers is in the public interest, creating a venue to work collaboratively with government on important issues, such as ambulance response times, paramedic resources, the opioid crisis and patient care.

“We value our relationship with our colleagues in the FBA, and thank them for their support and collaboration over the last seven years. This move is an acknowledgement by the government that our paramedics and dispatchers have a unique role in providing a vital service to patients and the public,” says Barter.