Disbelief, disillusionment, and disenfranchisement. That’s how CUPE 2974 President, James Jovanovic, is describing how local paramedics are feeling right now on the cusp of the first region-wide EMS strike in history. Jovanovic says there is an immense level of disappointment with local elected leaders and the province after he says a frontline ambulance was quietly removed from public service and assigned to the Ciociaro Club where Premier Doug Ford, County Council members, mayors, deputy mayors and other dignitaries had gathered for the groundbreaking of the Fancsy Family Hospital. He says as these local leaders celebrated the future of healthcare and portrayed themselves as champions of progress, they quietly reduced emergency ambulance coverage for the Windsor-Essex community to ensure those in attendance would have immediate and exclusive emergency medical care if they needed it. Earlier this week, the Ontario Labour Relations Board issued its decision on the region’s Essential Ambulance Services Agreement, approving an overall 20 per cent reduction of services across Essex-Windsor EMS. Jovanovic had stated that county administration needed council approval on Wednesday evening in order to improve its previous offer. On Thursday evening, Jovanovic stated the union has yet to hear from the county on their decision. Jovanovic says they are disappointed. “An ambulance was taken out of service from providing coverage for the community on what is, again, a busy day to go and provide exclusive medical coverage at the Ciociaro Club for Premier Ford and other local elected leaders from County Council and the City of Windsor. Those same individuals who are overseeing a struggling and teetering paramedic service.” He says these leaders expressed themselves as champions of progress in healthcare. “While simultaneously refusing to provide or offer even the current market rate for collective agreements being negotiated across the Province of Ontario, while our paramedic service faces daily down staffing, code blacks, recruitment and retention issues, with two paramedics resigning today, cuts every paramedic like a dagger.” Jovanovic adds that despite how difficult its been, local paramedics continue to press forward day-to-day as the professionals that they are. “They got into this profession to provide care and compassion to the people of Essex-Windsor. To know that their appointed and elected leaders are not substantially supporting them, are not willing to offer them even fair, comparative market value across the province... I think, right now, paramedics are somewhat at a loss.” During the ceremony on Thursday, Windsor mayor Drew Dilkens told reporters that the city has zero say on the agreement or negotiations. “That responsibility falls squarely within and entirely within the role of County Council to work through the issues that they’re dealing with with the union there. We’re hopeful, obviously city residents would be impacted by any sort of work stoppage or disruption, and we’re hopeful that the county can find a resolution that makes sense for all the taxpayers but for the workers as well.” Dilkens says the city is simply a funding partner in terms of Essex-Windsor EMS based on a prorated share. Jovanovic adds that if there was no movement from the county during Wednesday’s meeting that an upcoming bargaining date set for August 5 will be cancelled, , moving the union closer to possible labour action. County responds In a statement, the County of Essex said Essex-Windsor EMS routinely assigns ambulance coverage to special events where large numbers of people are expected to gather or where a risk assessment identifies an elevated potential for medical emergencies. The statement goes on to say, this is a standard operational practice used throughout the year for a wide variety of public events. “Consistent with that practice, an ambulance was assigned to the hospital groundbreaking ceremony. The event was originally scheduled to be held outdoors during an Orange Air Quality Warning related to wildfire smoke. Although the ceremony was ultimately moved indoors, the ambulance assignment remained in place based on the operational plan for the event. An ambulance assigned to event coverage remains available to respond to emergency calls if operationally required. Ambulance availability is continuously monitored by a District Chief, who can immediately redeploy resources based on system demand. At no time did this assignment compromise Essex-Windsor EMS’s ability to respond to emergency calls, and the ambulance was not required to be redeployed during the event."
