Striking paramedics ask for mediator to revive negotiations
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Paramedic union leaders are asking two government ministries to come together to appoint a third party to jump-start labour dispute negotiations.
Barry O’Neill, president of CUPE B.C. and John Strohmaier, president of the Ambulance Paramedics Union of B.C. met with Labour Minister Murray Coell in Vancouver Tuesday.
“Our request is that he intervene as he can under the labour code, (but) he seemed somewhat reluctant to do at this time,” said Strohmaier.
Strohmaier said it’s unlikely Coell would get involved without a recommendation from the Ministry of Health as the Ambulance Service operates under the Emergency Health Services Commission.
The union’s next step is to ask Health Minister Kevin Falcon to discuss possible resolutions.
“We remain open 24/7 to negotiate or to resolve this dispute so we would hope that the government has the same commitment the paramedics do and we can meet with them at any time,” said B.J. Chute, director of public education for the paramedic’s union.
Falcon was unavailable for comment and Coell declined to make a statement about the meeting.
Steven Roberts, spokesman for B.C. Ambulance service said, “We can’t agree. We’ve reached a bit of a stalemate.”
Roberts wouldn’t say if a third party would be beneficial to resolving the six-month strike, but Strohmaier can’t see it ending any other way.
“Without the assistance of an independent third party ... we’re not going to be able to resolve this dispute,” he said.
“I’m still optimistic that we can work with the Ministry of Health and come up with a framework that might work us forward in this dispute,” he said.
lweighton@vicnews.com
Background
• About 3,500 B.C. paramedics have been on strike since April 1, but a Labour Relations Board Essential Services order has kept them on the job.
• The two sides have not met since June.
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