The Martlet

Now entering its seventh month, B.C.’s paramedic union job action shows no sign of ending — despite resolution attempts by both sides.

Paramedics are an essential service, making a formal strike illegal. However, members of CUPE 873 posted “ON STRIKE” signs on the ambulances when they initiated job action in April, hoping to get their message out. And the signs are still there.

The British Columbia Ambulance Services (BCAS) brought a new offer to the table on Sept. 29, hoping to end the job action. However, Ambulance Paramedics of B.C. President John Strohmaier went so far as to call the offer “repugnant.”

But in a new effort to make sure executives are representing the 3,500-member strong union, Strohmaier announced he’d ask the paramedics themselves.

“[BCAS] has implied our bargaining team and executive don’t represent our members,” he said.

He also said the executives recommended rejecting the offer, but the decision was now in the hands of the paramedics.

In September, the union attempted to put added pressure on the government by declaring paramedics would only work their regularly-scheduled shifts at assigned ambulance stations and wouldn’t work on standby. This speaks to a strike issue: the union says the majority of its members work on a “call out” basis, where they are only paid $2 an hour to be on standby.

The B.C. Supreme Court quashed their attempt, on the grounds that, under the Essential Services order, ambulance attendants have to work.

CUPE 873 execs voiced uncertainty about government hesitation to accept their offers. A Sept. 15 offer put forward by the union was almost fully agreed on, except for the deal-breaker issue of a signing bonus. Since then, talks haven’t gone anywhere productive.

This job action is made more time-sensitive by the Olympics in February. Vancouver’s Olympic organizing committee (VANOC) expressed a desire to have paramedics on standby at every event- but they don’t know if enough paramedics will be available.

VANOC CEO John Furlong admitted the games would have to improvise if that happens. But he also declared the ambulance strike “needs to be settled.”