Paramedics reject contract offer

At general meetings Tuesday and Wednesday, the 825 ambulance paramedics of Urgences-santé were mandated to pronounce themselves on the agreement reached by their union negotiators and the employer.

Of the 414 paramedics who turned up to vote, 198 were in favour of the agreement, with 216 casting rejection ballots.

Union president Réjean Leclerc believes the agreement in principle contained some interesting gains for the ambulance paramedics, but in the end it was obvious that these improvements were not enough.

"Our members are particularly sensitive to the issue of retention programs that would encourage paramedics to stay in the job. The employer is simply not doing enough in this regard," Mr. Leclerc explains. "Considering that there have been 75 early departures at Urgences-santé just in the past year, it's easy to understand why our members are concerned."

In an earlier vote, 99.7% of the paramedics gave the union a strike mandate, with this extreme labour action to be implemented at the most opportune time. The Urgences-santé ambulance paramedics have not had a contract since June 30, 2005.