Conciliation fails to deliver ambulance paramedic agreement

Toronto – After two days of conciliation talks there is still no agreement between the Ontario Public Service Employees Union and 48 ambulance services in Ontario. Last week, 1300 OPSEU paramedics voted 93.5 percent in favour of strike action to back their contract demands.

The parties were not able to resolve the critical issues of wages and job security. OPSEU proposed a three-year agreement with wage increases of 7.5 percent, 3.2 percent and 4.5 percent respectively. OPSEU believes the increases are reflective of recent settlements both within the paramedic sector and more generally in emergency health services (fire and police). After lengthy discussions on wages, the employer refused to move from its original position of a three-year agreement with wage increases of 1, 1.35 and 1.95 per cent.

The employer did make a partial amendment to its position on job offer guarantees. Originally the employer would only offer jobs to full time actively employed employees in situations where an employer expands in its own Upper Tier Municipality (UTM) or where it is the successful bidder in a UTM where it does not currently operate. Now jobs will be offered to full and part time actively employed employees but only in situations where the employer is expanding in an existing UTM.

The employer continues to oppose maintaining central bargaining past this round and refuses to negotiate anything concerning arbitration in this agreement. No additional

Conciliation talks have been scheduled in the New Year, however at this point; neither side has requested a no-board report from the Ministry of Labour. OPSEU has not set a strike deadline yet.

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For further information:

Jamie Ramage – 905-821-1981 ext. 1156
Megan Park – 416-443-8888 ext. 207
Bill Trbovich – 416-448-7400/561-5613/793-0092

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