Paramedics are seeking your support to become an “essential service.”
The Ambulance Paramedics of BC want to amend and be included in the Fire and Police Service Collective Bargaining Act. Just like with the firefighters and police officers, this would end paramedics’ right to strike or ability to be locked out, and mean all collective bargaining would be done through arbitration.
Before this can go before the provincial government, there needs to be written support from at least 10% of all registered voters in each of BC’s 85 ridings.
Local-Prince George paramedic Spencer Ovenden has been out seeking signatures.
“This is good for the community so there will be coverage even in labour disputes and there won’t really be too much of a labour dispute because a third-party arbitrator would decide what’s best for both sides,” he says, “we don’t want to go on strike, we don’t want to be in labour disputes, we don’t want to be locked out. We do this to help people we do this for the community.”
Ovenden adds the paramedics haven’t had a new contract since 2001.
If you’d like to support or learn more, you can click here to find out where to sign your local petition.
A petition is set to take place in Williams Lake on Monday, February 20 at Save-On-Foods from 3pm-6pm.
(Files from Spencer Gowan with MYPRINCEGEORGENOW)