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| FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE December 9,
1999 OPSEU Ambulance Paramedics Take Strike Vote Toronto – OPSEU ambulance paramedics will take a strike vote next week to back demands for job security and better wages. The vote is for 1300 members who work in 48 services across Ontario including major centres such as London, Mississauga, Ottawa, Hamilton, Belleville and the Kingston area. "The ambulance sector is in chaos because of the Harris government’s downloading initiatives," said OPSEU president Leah Casselman. "Some employers will expand their services while others will merge or go out of business and nobody will tell our members that they’ll still have a job when this is finished. We want job offer guarantees from the new employers for both our full and part time members or it’s no deal," she said. OPSEU calls the current job security offer discriminatory and unacceptable. The employers will only give job offers to full-time paramedics who are actively employed at the time of the changeover. If a paramedic becomes ill and has to go on Long Term Disability between now and the changeover, they won’t receive a job offer. The employers also refuse to give job offers to part-time paramedics even though they’re the largest employee group for many of the 48 services. The current wage offer of 4.3 percent over three years is not enough. "Our members have the same dedication and skill as the ambulance paramedics in Toronto and the regions of York and Durham," said Casselman. "They found money to give them a decent wage increase so why should we take less to do the same job." The bargaining team has authorized a strike vote to be held on December 15, 16 and 17. Negotiations go into conciliation on December 20-21. -30- For further information:
AGO Bargaining Information | Press Release Index
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