Public Employee Press

Ambulance crews rally for a raise

Over 750 professional ambulance workers who have gone more than three years without a raise rallied at City Hall Jan. 5 to demand a new contract.

The angry and frustrated protesters pressed the Bloomberg administration for a pay increase to bring the compensation at the Emergency Medical Service into line with Firefighters and Police Officers.

After nine months of intensive negotiations, the talks recently broke down, and EMS union leaders plan to invoke the impasse process.

“We are here today because we have tried to negotiate a fair and reasonable contract, only to have the Office of Labor Relations spit in our face,” said Patrick Bahnken, president of Uniformed EMTs and Paramedics Local 2507.

Bahnken called the city’s offer of a 7.5 percent wage increase over four years an insult compared with the raises of 14 to 17 percent other uniformed workers won. The demonstration was part of the local’s campaign, which has included radio ads, to raise public awareness about the labor dispute.

DC 37 Associate Director Oliver Gray told the protesters they had DC 37’s support. “What’s fair is fair. It’s time for a contract,” he said and then led the protesters in a chant calling for a contract settlement “Now!”

Low pay, high turnover
Demonstrators yelled “EMS, EMS, EMS” and “Respect!” as speakers — union leaders and City Council members — encouraged their fight for a fair contract. They carried signs with messages such as “Is a livable wage too much to ask?” and “Earning Minimum Salary! Can’t Pay Rent!”

The paltry pay has caused a recruitment and retention crisis at the Fire Dept., which had to hire 500 new EMS workers in 2005 to deal with its rapid turnover, Bahnken said.

The top base salary for Emergency Medical Technicians is $38,000 while it is $58,000 for Sanitation workers, $61,000 for Police Officers and $63,000 for Firefighters. In Boston, EMTs earn $62,000 and Paramedics get $76,000, said Local 2507 Vice President Don Faeth.

In 2001, Local 2507 convinced the City Council to pass a local law allowing EMS workers to bargain as uniformed employees. The Giuliani administration took the matter to court, contending that the law interferes with mayoral powers, and the Bloomberg administration has continued to pursue the case.
Before the uniformed status law, Local 2507 and Uniformed EMS Officers Local 3621 bargained with other civilian employees.

“It is time to treat us equally,” said Local 3621 President Thomas Eppinger. He said EMS workers were the “forgotten souls” of the Fire Dept. even though they respond to 1.2 million emergency calls a year and risk their lives like Police Officers and Firefighters.

Death on the job
At the opening of the rally, Local 2507 Vice President Faeth underscored members’ commitment by asking for a moment of silence for the nine EMS workers who lost their lives in recent years as they responded to emergencies, including the 9/11 World Trade Center attacks.

Union leaders who addressed the demonstrators included DC 37 Treasurer Maf Misbah Uddin, President Steven Cassidy of the Firefighters, 2nd Vice President Bill Henning of the Communications Workers, DC 37 local presidents Charles Ensley, Eddie Rodriguez, Mark Rosenthal, James Tucciarelli and Retirees Association President Stuart Leibowitz. City Council members Robert Jackson, David Weprin, Gale Brewer, Hiram Monserrate and Alan Gerson also spoke at the rally.

After more than three years without a pay increase, EMS workers are angry about the department’s failure to recognize their dedication to saving lives and to offer them comparable pay to uniformed workers — enough to make a long-time career of their jobs. Increasingly, they are taking on second and third jobs, they told PEP.

“You have new people who come in and stick around for two years max,” said EMT Steven Negron, who works in the Bronx. “Then they will move on to the Police Department or become Firefighters.”