Strike looming for paramedics in rural Newfoundland as last-chance talks break down

More than 100of Newfoundland'sparamedics and ambulance workersare preparing a strike effort that could begin at any moment after months of failed negotiations with their employer, their union says.

Employees of the Fewer Group of Ambulances have been working toward a new collective agreement since February. The group is made up of seven emergency service operators from across Newfoundland, including in Ferryland, Trepassey, Come By Chance, Gamboand Clarenville.

Workers are employed by Bob Fewer of Fewer's Ambulance Service, who CBC News has asked for comment.

Fewer hasn't been willing to negotiate for months, according to Hubert Dawe of Teamsters Local 855, which represents the workers.

Workers and the union have been in a position to legally strike since Nov. 17and are ramping up their efforts after Fewerfailed to show up at meetings last week in Clarenville sending representatives instead.

Five of the companies voted 100 per cent in favour of a strike, while the other two voted over 75per cent in favour.

"If the members directed the union, we could be on strike within an hour," Dawe saidWednesday morning."It's all monetary. The employer has, if I may quote him directly indicated we're not getting any of his profit."

A similar strike vote was planned in Maybut was delayed by intervention from the provincial government.

The provincial government currently pays wages for paramedics on the road, but Dawesays it's up to the employer to determine how things like overtime are managed.

The government announced financial incentives for private and community ambulance operators and employees earlier this month, including an employee bonus awarded to full-time staff that will provide a four per cent wage increase over two years.

CBC News has also asked the Department of Health for comment about the impending strike.

Paramedics get paid for 11.43 hours of work per day, Dawe said. Operators of what he calls secondary ambulance services like transferring patients between health-care facilities can get overtime paid for by the government, but primary ambulance providers don't have the same agreement.

"When they get to the end of their schedule, if perhaps they end up out on a late call or they get stuck in an offload delay at one of the health-care facilities, the expectation of the employer is that that is volunteer time, you shouldn't have to pay for that," Dawe said.

"The members seem pretty steadfast, pretty determined that now is the opportunity for them to get the change that we need in rural Newfoundland and Labrador."

If members were to strike, Dawe said,there isn't a plan in place to make sure services can continue at their current level. That's on the employer, he said.

That's something that weighs on employees, he added, but workers believe now is the time for change.

"The members became paramedics and [emergency medical responders] because they want to help people. We can't do that if we're off on the picket line on the side of the road and not in the ambulances when people need us. But unfortunately, we're being abused for that ethic," Dawe said.

"People are burning out, they're leaving the industry for more lucrative jobs in the same field, which is very disappointing."

Service will be maintained for now, but Dawe says workers will only work to rule. The union also plans to send workers "On Strike" T-shirts to wear over their uniforms to inform the public of their position, according to a letter sent to members.

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