By Michael Bennett, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter
Chatham-Kent EMS paramedics returned to performing all duties after agreeing to a Memorandum of Understanding to end their five-week strike.
Service Employees International Union Local 1, which represents 125 full-time and part-time Chatham-Kent paramedics, and Medavie Health Services will begin arbitration hearings on Aug. 28 to reach a collective agreement.
Local paramedics went on strike on May 23 after members voted 97 percent in favour of strike action as the union could not reach a collective agreement with Medavie after seven days of negotiations.The SEIU members had worked without a contract since their four-year deal expired on Dec. 31, 2022.
Paramedics continued to provide emergency service during the strike as they are considered ‘essential workers’ under the province’s Ambulance Act.
However, paramedics stopped performing non-emergency duties, such as non-urgent patient transfers, community paramedicine participation, and maintenance duties in the main Medavie headquarters and stations around Chatham-Kent during the strike.
After agreeing to arbitration, paramedics resumed non-emergency duties on July 9.
The union has previously stated that scheduling language for part-time members, enhanced wages, and employer-paid long-term disability premiums are the main issues of their dispute with Medavie management. – The Ridgetown Independent News
