'We want results': Urgences-sante support staff to strike next week

Worst of the pandemic, through paramedic's eyes This is Paramedic Awareness Week, so CTV took an eye-opening ride-along with Montreal paramedics.

Urgences-santé support staff are expected to launch a fixed-term administrative strike next week over stalled contract negotiations and a shrinking workforce.

The union, which represents mechanics, repair technicians and other support staff, is likely to strike from July 18 to 19. The strike is not expected to affect public services.

The union hopes to pressure the government to move more quickly on contract negotiations, which have become hitched on higher salary demands. Without a salary boost, the union says it won't be able to retain staff.

Of the 120 support employees at Urgences-santé, "45 people have left their jobs," in the last year, according to support worker union president Marc Dulude, who says staff have been without a collective agreement since 2020.

He says certain "emergency" staffing measures have been put in place, but that they are only Band-Aid solutions.

"We have hired paramedic students during the summer to come and help us," he said, "but they're going to return to school in September, so we're going to have a staffing problem again."

In June, the union voted 96 per cent in favour of 10 banked striking days, meaning more strikes could follow.

“Ultimately, the lack of support staff at Urgences-santé jeopardizes the ability to provide quality pre-hospital services to the population," Dulude said at the time in a release announcing the vote.

"After more than two years after the expiry of our agreement, we cannot say that we have not shown patience," he said. "Now, we want results."