The Department of Health and Social Services, together with the Ambulance Operators Association, are pleased to announce that they have reached a contract agreement on the provision of emergency ambulance services for residents of PEI.
This contract agreement has been reached after several months of negotiation.
It provides additional financial resources to Ambulance Operators to enable them to deal with operational issues and wage concerns of ambulance personnel. The contract agreement provides for the single largest grant increase ever offered to the Ambulance Operators Association.
Doug MacDonald of the Ambulance Operators Association states that Operators are pleased with the terms of the contract agreement.
"Seventy five percent of the additional funds provided will go directly to ambulance personnel to address their wage concerns," advised MacDonald.
As part of the Agreement, the first ever complete and independent study of the wages and working conditions of ambulance personnel on PEI will take place. The study will allow both the Department of Health and Social Services and Ambulance Operators to address issues which remain outstanding.
Health and Social Services Minister Mildred Dover advised that a time frame of one year will allow the province time to gather information and make sustainable recommendations around ambulance personnel wages and working conditions. "Any wage adjustments for ambulance personnel recommended in this review and supported by both the province and the Ambulance Operators Association will be retroactive to the contract signing date of August 1, 1998," states Dover.
"The Ambulance Operators recognize that the present contract agreement does not address all of their employee's concerns. However, Government is moving in the right direction to correct these outstanding issues," says MacDonald.
MacDonald believes that considering the Government's commitment for an independent study, a one year agreement is a reasonable period to wait and see what changes may be forthcoming for the industry.
The operators hope the P.E.I. Paramedic Association will also endorse this Agreement. "This may not be the level of compensation and support the Paramedic Association was hoping for, but there is an improvement across the board for all members. It is hoped that the Paramedic Association can be patient for the results of the study. Ambulance personnel will have an opportunity to express their concerns as part of the study," states MacDonald.