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Public Employee Press
Bringing the work back Union calls for EMS workers to assume services of bankrupt ambulance company
Local 2507 and Local 3621 are urging the mayor to add $11.2 million to the new budget to hire staff and purchase more ambulances to fill the gap in services following TransCare's bankruptcy.
By ALFREDO ALVARADO
The recent bankruptcy of the private ambulance service TransCare has increased the tours handled by members of EMTs and Paramedics Local 2507 and EMS Officers Local 3621.
TransCare operated 27 ambulances in Upper Manhattan and the Bronx. Its sudden collapse put the lives of thousands of people at risk.
Local 2507 President Israel Miranda and Local 3621 President Vincent Variale called on Mayor Bill de Blasio to include $11.2 million in the new budget to hire staff and purchase more ambulances to fill the gap in service needs in the aftermath of TransCare's bankruptcy.
They also called on the mayor to discontinue outsourcing ambulances in light of the TransCare debacle.
"It's about time the city learned from their past mistakes," Miranda said at a press conference at City Hall on April 13. The city has a history of contracting with private ambulance companies that go bankrupt, Miranda said.
DC 37 Executive Director Henry Garrido, Public Advocate Letitia James and City Council members Vanessa Gibson, Elizabeth Crowley and Margaret Chin joined Miranda and Variale at the morning press conference.
"Our public employees are the ones who do the best job," said James, in support of the union Emergency Medical Services staff.
Garrido said that the city has to bail out these private ambulance companies when they go bankrupt and that it does not save any money by contracting out.
The mayor's new budget calls for an additional $5 million for 34 new tours in Queens and 16 in the Bronx.
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