Court Orders Ambulance Workers Union to Return to Normal Staffing Patterns

Sunday, September 20, 2009 12:47 PM

VANCOUVER - The BC Ambulance (BCAS) has called for the public's patience as service levels are restored following a court ruling yesterday directing CUPE 873 and its members to return to normal staffing patterns.

BCAS sought the court's assistance following unprecedented staffing challenges this weekend after the union directed its members not to abide by the Essential Services Order.

Last night, Madam Justice Humphries of the B.C. Supreme Court issued the following direction:
* The union shall rescind its direction to its members that they only work their regularly scheduled shifts at their primary operators and an order that the Union's rescission be communicated to the public by way of a news release, and to its members by distributing that rescission through the Union's internal communications system, posting a copy of the rescission on the Union's bulletin board in each ambulance station throughout the Province and posting a copy of the rescission on the front page of the Union's website;
* The Union shall direct and instruct every Union member to obey the Order and resume their normal and historical availability for shifts by distributing that direction through the Union's internal communications system, posting a copy of the direction on the Union's bulletin board in each ambulance station throughout the Province and posting a copy of the direction on the front page of the Union's website;
* The members of the Union are hereby directed to obey the Order and to resume their normal and historical availability for shifts.

As paramedics return to work and assume regular staffing patterns, patients with non- acute conditions may wish to consider an alternative to calling for an ambulance such as the following:
* Call HealthLinkBC at 8-1-1 to speak with a nurse, dietician or pharmacist;
* Go to a local walk-in health care clinic;
* Visit your general practitioner; or
* Make your own way to the hospital emergency department - arriving in an ambulance does not mean patients will be seen more quickly.

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Posted on Sunday, September 20, 2009 12:47 PM in News by 250 News

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Comments

Posted by: Mercenary on September 20 2009 2:56 PM

What BS. The courts are forcing medics to work overtime. The historical levels of staffing that they are talking about are only due to medics working massive amounts of O/T to cover the shortfalls in staffing.

Posted by: bowzone_mikey on September 20 2009 3:19 PM

Its a sad fricken day for labour in British Columbia ....

Historical levels include working OT without OT wage ie:straight time .... to cover the shortfalls of staffing

a normal work week is 40 hours (giver take) Some medics I know work upwards of 80 or better.

The courts are in Gordos pocket ....

Posted by: Andyfreeze on September 20 2009 3:26 PM

This is a tough situation to be in for the ambulance workers, without question.
We cannot be without ambulance service and the paramedics know that.
What I do find a bit unnerving here is how this court order came about and why?
The provincial government obviously has once again shown where they are coming from and it is not pretty.
They just forced these people to work overtime... or quit.
So who's next?
Is this the format the government intends to use in the future, rather than bargaining in good faith?
So was this really about the ambulance service?..or was it about the Campbell government flexing their self-serving muscles?
A little show of strength to show us all who the boss is perhaps?
This should have been settled a long time ago, and the fact that it has not been is disgusting.
Ambulance workers do have some legitmate complaints and they do need to be addressed.
Get at it Mr.Campbell,because once again,you have shown that your government cannot be trusted to act in good faith.
It is your way or the highway.
All B.C. unionized government employees should be more than a bit nervous right now.
Is this considered a "victory" for the government?
Are they patting themselves on the back and and saying,"boy...we sure showed them"?

Posted by: ammonra on September 20 2009 3:45 PM

Why is anybody surprised?

The Campbellites have shown from the date they were first elected what bully boys they are with their attack on Health Care Unions, especially the HEU. Have you forgotten their wage rollbacks, their forced contracting out, their layoffs? Have you forgotten that before they were elected they complained that not enough health care workers had been fired to save money?

I lived through it and I do remember. I wouldn't trust Campbell and his cronies with a penny in a piggy bank!

Posted by: MrPG on September 20 2009 4:01 PM

We as taxpayers spend billions on heathcare every year -- it's a huge part of the provincial budget. Where the heck is that money going? I suspect a huge chunk goes to administration and middle management. There's where the problem lies. Get rid of all the bureaucrats and start getting the money (and staffing) to the frontline workers.

Posted by: quesnel on September 20 2009 7:36 PM

PG voted the Campbell boys and girls back in. Do something about it or suck it up.

Posted by: Palopu on September 20 2009 8:05 PM

One would think that if you are designated as an Essential Service, then thats what you are.

Seems the Court is just applying the laws that are on the books.

How one can jump from a Court Ruling to meddling by Premier Campbell or the Government is beyond me.

Are we saying that the Judge is breaking the Law??? Somehow I doubt that. Its more likely that the Union was breaking the law and the Judge just enforced it.

Hopefully they will find a way to settle this issue.

Posted by: Mercenary on September 20 2009 9:09 PM

Palopu: Paramedics are deemed essential service only when job action takes place. True essential service orders affect police and fire and they are entitled to an arbitrator when job action takes place. The province doesn't want to go to binding arbitration because they know that arbitration will favour the paramedics.

Posted by: wrinkledawg on September 20 2009 9:23 PM

Is there an E-mail address where one could voice their opinion to madam justice Humpy on this matter???? Just wondering.

Posted by: NMG on September 20 2009 9:27 PM

This sends a great message to those people looking to enter the health care profession doesn't it?

Truth be told, if it wasn't for OT, our entire health care system would collapse. There's something pretty wrong with that picture IMHO. Amazing that our briliant, corporate minded givernment can't figure out how to deal with it. Here's a suggestion, how about they put more money into education to train people and actually hire them once they are done? Heck, I'd even support the raising of MSP premiums to accomplish it IF the money actually went to address the issues of course.

I'm sure there could be some savings by reducing the money spent on admin as well, but let's face facts, the costs of the system are simply becoming too large given the money we have to fund it. Some pretty major changes need to occur and I think we need to start having an honest and rather frank dialogue about how to make them. Oh and the changes probably shouldn't start with forcing your employees to work OT to compensate for your inability to manage the system properly.

Posted by: karrman on September 20 2009 10:18 PM

The arrogance of Campbell is sickening.
This crowd of Liberal nitwits had no trouble giving themselves a 29% raise.

Posted by: camoose on September 20 2009 11:40 PM

What happens if 50% of the paramedics decide to quit? Are the other 50% expected to work 80 or 90 hours a week as an essential service? Then if more quit the rest could be expected to work 24/7? This being supported by a group of MLAs who are lucky if they have to sit in the house a month or two a year.

Posted by: acrider54 on September 21 2009 5:49 AM

Judge must be on Campbell's payroll, do it or get out.

Posted by: CaringSoul on September 21 2009 9:16 AM

You all are so discusted but if you had to go stand beside these people and show support there would only be 100. Heres to the 100 people who actually do something when things are not right!!

Posted by: travism on September 21 2009 11:01 AM

If people would start exercising regularly, quit smoking, stop speeding and quite eating fast food they wouldn't need so much OT.

Posted by: metalman on September 21 2009 12:53 PM

Some of you people seem to be missing the point here. The fact is, the ambulance workers have been without a contract for quite some time now, and as far as I have heard, the government experts are not even negotiating with the union, all they have done is declare the workers an essential service, which they are, imho. Why isn't the contract being negotiated? Does anybody know? This latest move by the union, to ignore the essential service order is, in my opinion, merely a means of drawing attention to the issue, and it worked. The government reacted with blinding speed, but meanwhile, here we are debating the issue, ergo, the publicity stunt worked as intended. Good for them, they need to draw attention to an issue the government does not seem to have the time or will to deal with. Don't say the judge or the court is in Gordos pocket because that kind of statement does not make sense. The Judge is sworn to uphold the law, and she did just that.
metalman.

Posted by: My3Centsworth on September 21 2009 6:38 PM

I'm sure that the Campbell crew will simply legislate a contract for the paramedics as they did for the teachers and hospital employees. That will be done as they tear up old contracts that were fairly negotiated.