B.C.'s striking paramedics ordered back to work

After a night-long session of the legislature, the provincial government has passed legislation forcing B.C.'s striking ambulance paramedics back to work.

After nearly 13 hours, Bill 21 passed early Saturday morning, forcing a new contract on ambulance paramedics, who have been on strike since April.

Union leaders representing B.C.'s paramedics called it a sad day for democracy andsaid the fight is far from over.

John Strohmeier, president of the Ambulance Paramedics of B.C., said Health Minister Kevin Falcon is wrong to think services will resume as normal.

"First of all, we're not going to be 100 per cent compliant with the legislation, I don't expect," he said.

"And I won't be directing my members to, for example, put on the uniforms anytime soon, nor will I be directing them to remove the stickers from their cars. All they're simply going to do is, where it says 'on strike,' it will now say 'un-strike.' "

Though the 3,500 paramedics across the province have technically been on strike since April, as an essential service, they could not stop working, which has blunted their ability to pressure the government.

Strohmeier said this shows Falcon is clearly out of touch.

"He's obviously got his head in the sand and doesn't realize the critical condition this ambulance service has been in for years, so his legislation is not going to restore our confidence in our employer," he said.

"In fact, all he's done is ripped the heart out of every paramedic in this province by doing this. And I can tell you for myself, I'm not going to be in a hurry to volunteer for this health minister, as I have in the past."

The one-year deal imposed by the province is retroactive to April 1 and includes a wage increase of three per cent.

Paramedics were after wage parity with other first responders, seeking a seven per cent raise every year for three years.