More Signatures Needed for Paramedic’s Petition

A petition designed to make BC paramedics an essential service with the same bargaining rights as police and firefighters needs many more signatures.

Local paramedics in Vernon-Monashee need to collect 4750 signatures, but so far have just over 15-hundred according to spokesman Dean Perry.

“There’s a number of people that have canvassed and have sheets we don’t have counts on. We’re trying to get a closer tally, but we need about another 3,000 signatures for Vernon-Monashee.”

Paramedics need 4091 in the Shuswap riding.

Perry says a lot of people don’t realize they aren’t considered essential.

“Most everybody thought paramedics would be classed as an essential service, but for whatever reason we never were classed that way and things could happen.”

Perry says becoming an essential service like police and fire fighters ensures no strikes or service interruption in future.

“There would be no job action. A third party would come in and say yes, this is fair this is what the paramedics need or no that’s too much for the paramedics and this is what the government needs. It would be out of our hands and would be looked at fairly and equitably for both sides.”

Representatives will be at Save on Foods in Polson Park Tuesdays and in the Village Green Centre Thursdays the rest of this month collecting signatures and at Super Store this Saturday from 9-5.