B.C. paramedics aren't an essential service, but some of them want to be

Firefighters and police are recognized as an "essential service" in B.C.and nowsome paramedics want the same recognition.

Victoria paramedic Josh Henshaw has started a petition under the province's initiativeprocess to designate paramedics as essential.

Under the provincial provisions, Henshawhas until Apr. 10 to obtainsignatures from at least 10 per cent of the electorate in each electoral district to trigger either a referendum or legislative action.

The petition calls on the government to amend theFire and Police Services Collective Bargaining Actto give ambulance paramedics the same collective bargaining rights as firefighters and police officers.

Under the proposed amendments,ambulance paramedics would no longer have the right to strike and their employers wouldn't have the right to lock them out during an impasse in thebargaining process.

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"We do the job because we want to show up and do a service to the community," Henshaw told Radio West host Audrey Mckinnon.

"We don't want service disruptions as a result of failed negotiations."

The last time paramedics were on strike was 2009. The job action ended with back-to-work legislation from the provincial government and the strike'seffectiveness was blunted when the province temporarily declared them an essential service. Henshaw says that essential service designation ended with thejob action.

Workers providing essential services are unable to strike, but if they do become involved in a labour dispute they would be subject to binding arbitration. Henshaw saidindependent arbitrators have generally come to fair deals for both sides.

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"People are truly surprised we're not an essential service," Henshaw said."Most people are surprised the ambulance service can be subject to strikes.

"When you call 911 they ask if you want fire, police or ambulance. So it only makes sense that that's where we should be."

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Henshaw and other petition organizers are currently touring the province to drum up signatures for their petition.

With files from CBC Radio One's Radio West

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