Paramedics threaten to walk
May withdraw services just as thousands jam streets for Gay Pride: Union
By DON PEAT, SUN MEDIA
Last Updated: 27th June 2009, 3:17am
Paramedics in Canada's largest city may not be on the job tomorrow, their union rep warns.
CUPE 416 ambulance unit chairman Glenn Fontaine said if city negotiators don't start seriously addressing EMS issues at the bargaining table by suppertime tonight, there will be a withdrawal of service starting just in time for Toronto's Gay Pride Parade when hundreds of thousands of people are expected on downtown streets.
"There will be no paramedics," Fontaine told the Sun yesterday. "If they don't come down to talk about EMS issues, and issues in bargaining as a whole, there will be no paramedics available Sunday during the hours of Gay Pride or maybe all day Sunday.
"Enough is enough ... paramedics are saying to me that they don't want to show up to work anymore until their issues are dealt with."
Both City of Toronto officials and Local 416 president Mark Ferguson stressed they want paramedics to honour the essential services agreement (ESA) between the city and the union that sets out strict parameters to how EMS operates during a strike action.
"Glenn is not authorized to or condoned to make those types of decisions," Ferguson said last night. "Those decisions rest solely with the president ... it is our intent to follow the essential services agreement in place."
But Fontaine, a member of the CUPE bargaining team at the table with the city, said he'd need a promise in good faith from negotiators to avert the potential walk-out and that promise must come by 6 p.m. today.
"(The city) would not have any issue if they would talk about training and car counts ... they're playing Russian roulette with citizens' lives," said the outspoken EMS union leader.
Paramedics, members of CUPE 416, are on strike with their fellow civic workers but are operating under their ESA. The agreement lowers staffing levels but aims to ensure EMS can still respond to high-priority calls on time.
The city's senior spokesman, Kevin Sack, said they expect the union's paramedics to honour the agreement, particularly during the city's important Pride festival.
He pointed to a CUPE Ontario press release issued earlier yesterday pledging support to the parade.
"It's a shock to the City of Toronto that we would hear from the very same union making a threat to the safety of people attending this event," Sack said.
"The city is extraordinarily supportive of its paramedics and the work they do."
"Paramedics are an extremely professional group of people that our residents rely on for health and safety every minute of the day, and that is why their role and what is permitted during a labour disruption is clearly laid out under an agreement," Sack said, adding the city is committed to delivering a level of emergency services throughout the strike. "We rely on the union abiding by the agreement that they have with us."
Fontaine charges the staffing levels are putting people's lives at risk and management is already violating the agreement by doing the work of unionized paramedics.
Sack said the city is "absolutely respecting" the agreement with its paramedics.
"Non-union staff and management staff are providing services across the city to protect the health and safety of our residents," he said.
Ferguson said he understands paramedics' frustration but appealed for calm from members of the EMS unit.
"All paramedics will continue to work in accordance with the essential services agreement that is in place between the union and the city of Toronto," he said. "We are in no way advocating the withdrawal of any services during this labour disruption."
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http://www.torontosun.com/news/torontoandgta/2009/06/27/9951561-sun.html
, anyone following such order(s) would have some serious explaining to do, and the "officer" would likely be facing prosecution, should injury or death occur, due to his orders. Hell, never mind injury. A complaint to the MOL call centre would probably get the ball rolling.
