British Columbia Ambulance Paramedics and their employer have reached a preliminary agreement on a new contract, the two sides announced Saturday afternoon.
BC EMS paramedic members are working without a contract as their last collective agreement with the BC Health Employers Association expired on April 1st.
A joint statement from the two organizations indicated that the deal was reached late Friday evening with the help of mediator Vince Reedy.
“Out of respect for the ratification process, which requires both parties to return the preliminary agreement to their respective members to ensure broad support, the parties have committed to keeping the details of the preliminary agreement confidential and will not disclose any details publicly at this time,” the statement said.
Union president Troy Clifford welcomed the interim agreement in his own statement.
“We have worked tirelessly with government and employer to address the most important concerns of our members and services and bring significant improvements to the ambulance service,” he said.
“This new agreement will help provide a significant foundation for improving paramedic services in British Columbia and one that recognizes the uniqueness of our service and the challenges facing our profession.” This is a huge step towards providing an appropriate level of care for our patients in British Columbia.”
HEABC President and CEO Michael McMillan said in a statement that his organization was “very pleased” to reach a preliminary agreement.
The paramedics union has been vocal about staffing challenges for years and expressed increased concern as the situation grew more dire in 2022.
Clifford told CTV News last month that almost half of all ambulances in British Columbia’s Lower Mainland stopped working that night because of staffing shortages.
The union says more than 30 percent of the province’s ambulances regularly sit empty.
“Our members and service have been undervalued for years, making it impossible to keep up with the recruitment and retention of highly qualified paramedics and dispatchers,” Clifford said in a statement Saturday.
“This collective agreement will see a renewed commitment to the ambulance service, to our members and ultimately to our patients. We take this recognition as proof that what our members do every day matters and that we are valued for the service we provide.”
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