Members of CUPE 4911 delivered a petition today signed by roughly 80% of frontline paramedics calling on Peterborough County-City Paramedics (PCCP) to negotiate a fair agreement that addresses worsening staffing shortages, burnout, and worker retention.
The petition comes as the emergency medical system in Peterborough County and the City of Peterborough faces growing strain. Last year alone, the service experienced roughly 150 open shifts with ambulances being pulled off the road due to staffing pressures.
“This is the most consequential round of contract negotiations we’ve ever seen. Simply put, we can’t go on like this. But we haven’t seen any urgency from management, the city, or the county,” said Jordan Lean, a paramedic and president of CUPE 4911. “Paramedics are calling out for help. That’s why we delivered this petition. The problems we face are real, our proposals are reasonable, and we absolutely need to address burnout and paramedic safety to ensure residents continue to receive the emergency care they depend on.”
CUPE 4911 and PCCP began bargaining in March with union proposals developed directly from member feedback. Members are focused on addressing the real pressures paramedics face on the job, including improved mental health coverage, better benefits, fair shift premiums, and wages that help close gaps with comparable emergency services. These investments are critical to recruit and retain experienced paramedics for the stability of the service in the long-term.
Instead of earnestly engaging with solutions to frontline concerns, PCCP Chief Patricia Bromfield has chosen to make misleading claims about workers’ proposals in an effort to undermine progress. She sidestepped direct bargaining in an email to members to mischaracterize CUPE 4911 proposals with wildly inflated numbers while minimizing staffing challenges and retention issues.
In the petition, members point to the loss of roughly 20 part-time paramedics each year and the fact that approximately 20% of the full-time workforce is currently off on leave or sick as evidence of a service under significant strain.
“We carry the physical and psychological weight of this work every day. It is deeply frustrating to hear leadership suggest these challenges are exaggerated or manageable when frontline workers are living this reality every shift,” said Lean. “This petition sends a clear message. Paramedics are united behind our bargaining team and united in the belief that this service needs meaningful investment to remain sustainable.”
The two sides are scheduled to return to the bargaining table tomorrow. CUPE 4911 members remain hopeful PCCP will come prepared to address the staffing and mental health challenges affecting both paramedics and the emergency care residents rely on.
