Ambulance paramedics put on a rock show in Campbell River Saturday.

They staged a 24-hour vigil on the top of Big Rock, the landmark boulder on the city’s waterfront, to raise awareness of their strike against the B.C. Ambulance Service.

“Our objective is to get parity with other emergency services,” Paramedic Dave Martin said as five of his colleagues stood on top of the 30-foot rock bearing banners and flags and waving to passing motorists on the Island Highway.

The striking ambulance paramedics, members of CUPE 873, held the sit-in to keep the 135-day strike in the public eye. As an essential service, the paramedics are trying to press for a new contract while being unable to withhold services.

“We had up to 40 paramedics there during the 24 hours to ensure the public knew what’s at stake in our strike,” said Steve Bremer. “It was a little cold and the three brave souls who volunteered to stay overnight went home to get some sleep at around six o’clock Sunday morning.”

Bremer said many residents of Campbell River showed support. Drivers honked their horns throughout the 24 hours and many people stopped by with coffee and cookies.

“We’d like to say a special thanks to the folks that live across the road from the rock,” Bremer said. “They brought us over coffee many times and opened their home so we’d have access to the bathroom facilities.”

Scott Fraser, MLA from Port Alberni, stopped by for over an hour, expressing concern about the state of the ambulance service. He’s also concerned that ambulances are being shut down on the Island and that, at times, some communities have no ambulance at all. He is also worried that the B.C. Ambulance Service is not following the essential service order and, in fact, has been in violation of it many times.

Bremer said this strike is not about money. It is about respect and fixing the problems in the ambulance service, including staffing levels that are inadequate to meet public demand, reducing ambulance response times and improving working conditions for paramedics.

“Our BC government is stalling and refusing to solve these problems,” Bremer said. “The government should solve this dispute the same way other emergency services agreements are settled, with the help of a third party independent arbitrator.

Martin said that when the government first started negotiating, they didn’t consider ambulance paramedics as emergency services workers. They categorized them as health care workers who don’t face the same dangers as firefighters or police.

“Our job is just as dangerous as any other,” Martin said. “We’re exposed to all kinds of biohazard, violence...every day.”