Stick to the issue
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Updated: November 05, 2009 5:17 PM
“Do as we say, not as we do.”
– Giovanni Boccaccio
The recent paramedic debate has hit a boiling point, with the Liberal government going into the House Thursday afternoon in an attempt to force a contract extension on striking paramedics until March 31, 2010.
B.C. Liberal house leader Mike de Jong said government intends the legislated contract be passed before the house adjourns for next week’s Remembrance Day events.
Health Minister Kevin Falcon argued, Tuesday that the situation has become urgent with the onset of H1N1 pandemic influenza and a paramedic management team that is exhausted from covering extensive absences by staff and on-call paramedics during the dispute.
He also said the strike has resulted in a loss of service during various targeted strike actions. The ministry further reported that the dispute has resulted in patient care records being “damaged, lost or tampered with,” and ambulance equipment used in heart attack research “damaged, lost or removed from ambulances.”
Ergo his government’s argument to impose back-to-work legislation.
However, the surprise move to impose the contract comes on the eve paramedics are voting on their latest contract.
NDP House leader Mike Farnworth denied services dropped below the court-ordered essential service levels.
Critics and union groups have gone after Falcon accusing him of “changing his story” once the contents of a memo, obtained by CUPE BC were revealed.
That memo, from VANOC to B.C. Ambulance Service and government officials, demands “definitive confirmation” that “all required ambulance services will be provided as planned” for the 2010 Games.
It’s no wonder VANOC has stepped in telling the powers that be to stop messing around and get it figured out.
Sheesh.
Thank you, VANOC.
But could we stick to the point here?
It’s not about whether Falcon was completely up-front or not. It’s not about whether patients care records were or were not lost.
It’s about treating these men and women, our front line defence in medical emergencies with the respect they deserve.
They’ve asked for an independent mediator to deal with four main issues: Wages, length of the next contract, the lack of ambulances and compensation for stand-by paramedics.
Sounds fair enough to us, but in all this mud-slinging they’ve lost sight of the original issue.
And forcing these men and women back to work before their membership has even voted on their latest contract offer is as undemocratic as it is an abuse of power.
It’s just going to make things messier in the long run.
Compromise goes a long way ladies and gentlemen.
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