Strike date set for Essex-Windsor EMS

Essex-Windsor ambulance.

A strike is looming at Essex-Windsor EMS.

CUPE 2974 has filed a no board report, meaning paramedics and administration can hit the picket line in 17-days, which is August 8th.

The Ontario Labour Relations Board has already issued its decision on the Essential Ambulance Services Agreement, and approved an overall 20 per cent reduction of services in the event of labour action.

Union president James Jovanovic says the union is prepared to meet with the County of Essex for negotiations.

The next date for bargaining is August 5th but Jovanovic says they are ready to meet at anytime.

According to Jovanovic, this would be the first strike in Essex-Windsor EMS history.

Jovanovic says both sides will need to meet to discuss what the 20 per cent reduction in services looks like.

“So the parties will meet to determine the logistics of which trucks and what areas they’re being removed from. However, we have filed that no board report that will put us into a legal strike position as early as August 8th. We do have a tentative day scheduled with the employer to bargain on August 5th. Right now, we’ll hold that day.”

He says the main issue at the table is compensation and protective language to help solidify and stabilize the future of EMS locally.

“We simply need to, at minimum, keep pace with that market. If we’re not able to keep pace, all the systemic issues that we face daily, the down-staffing, the code blacks, will continue to get worse. So what we’re looking for is, at minimum, to keep pace with the provincial market. The county is not currently offering that in a potential settlement.”

Jovanovic says no paramedic wants this outcome but they want to be able to go to work and provide professional and compassionate care.

“Being in the system day-after-day, we see how broken it is and we’re simply asking for the county to step up, acknowledge the provincial market, stabilize EMS to come back to the table. And we’re hoping that the residents of Windsor-Essex can understand the concerns that we have and what’s at stake.”

CUPE Local 2974 represents about 340 paramedics who have been without a collective agreement since conciliation ended on May 8th.

Jovanovic adds that the union reacted out to a county administrative representative following the County Council meeting on July 15, where they were inquiring whether or not there was any room for the possibility of future negotiations.

Jovanovic says they received zero response.

In a statement, the County says they acknowledge the no board report has been filed. They state that this does not prevent the parties from continuing negotiations and they look forward to more discussions with the union. The County adds that public safety remains their highest priority.