Paramedics concerns ignored
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Updated: November 19, 2009 1:06 PM
Editor:
I see provincial health minister Kevin Falcon is again making accusations toward the union representing paramedics — and has no problems lying to the public.
He arrogantly accuses paramedics of intentionally trying to put patients in harm’s way.
It’s the unfortunate truth that the collective agreement and the mismanagement on behalf of the service is what is putting patient’s lives at risk.
Speaking of the collective agreement, this is a perfect example of the government’s lies.
When filling short-notice shifts, the first priority of who fills those shifts is, in fact, part-time paramedics.
Here is an example from the work allocation guide: PTIP (part time in post) with availability: available primary operator part time employees who have submitted availability indicated on the master availability tracking form. Avoid back-to-back scheduling if possible. If scheduling causes a back-to-back shift, move on to the next available person who will not be back-to-back scheduled.
Only after these paramedics are called do they move on to full-timers: FTOTIP (full-time overtime in post) with availability: fulltime employees in the post, who indicated willingness to work overtime shift during the affected shift. This availability must be submitted on an overtime availability form for a given month.”
If full-timers are coming in at overtime rates, that means part-timers aren’t as happy and willing, as the government believes.
I am happy to forward this guide to anyone who actually cares to expose Falcon’s and B.C. Ambulance Services CEO Lee Doney’s comments for what they are — complete lies.
And let’s keep in mind that, for all the government’s complaining about the constraints of the collective agreement, it is the government that has imposed the contract on us, not the other way around.
They have no right to state that it needs fixing when they ignored the paramedics’ claims that it needs to be fixed.
The government can’t have it both ways, as much as they try to.
Jason Angulo
Coldstream
