The final scheduled day of negotiations between CUPE 4911 and Peterborough County-City Paramedics (PCCP) ended Tuesday without a tentative agreement. Paramedics are preparing to enter a legal strike position on October 31 but remain ready to bargain and avoid a labour disruption so long as they have a willing partner across the table.
After six months of negotiations, the two sides remain far apart on the central issues of pay parity with other first responders and adequate mental health benefits for paramedics facing traumatic and stressful situations on the job.
“Our members have not wavered throughout this process. They are in crisis. They are burnt out. They’re tired of watching friends get hurt, go on leave, or give up jobs they love,” said Jordan Lean, president of CUPE 4911. “We’ve spent six months negotiating a fair deal that addresses the realities of this job. We shouldn’t have to fight this hard for the wages and mental health support we need to build a sustainable career. This situation was entirely avoidable, but management has refused to address our members’ needs.”
The stakes go beyond the bargaining table. CUPE 4911’s proposals would help retain experienced paramedics, attract new recruits, and build a healthier, more sustainable emergency medical service for the community.
Without competitive wages and adequate mental health benefits, PCCP risks losing more experienced paramedics while making it harder to recruit the workers needed to deliver reliable emergency medical services.
Essential Ambulances Services Agreement
In Ontario, an Essential Ambulance Services Agreement (EASA) establishes the minimum ambulance services that must be maintained during a labour dispute. The EASA between CUPE 4911 and PCCP was established during a past round of bargaining and provides for a substantial reduction in services.
The parties are required to provide 190 days’ notice to cancel an existing EASA. PCCP did not do that, instead letting CUPE 4911 know they intended to file a last-minute motion with the Ontario Labour Relations Board seeking to invalidate the existing EASA, a move that could delay CUPE 4911’s legal strike window.
“Management relied on an old EASA because they never thought it would come to this, but they completely failed to bargain earnestly or bring forward a deal members would accept,” said Lean. “We are ready to bargain until the very last moment. There is still time to get a deal done. But management is trying to take our rights away because they dropped the ball.”
CUPE 4911 has indicated their willingness to bargain past the deadline and avoid a strike so long as meaningful progress is being made. They are urging PCCP to return to the table prepared as soon as possible.
