Jan 30 2010
American Medical Response (AMR), 9-1-1 ambulance service provider for
San Mateo County, announced today that it will continue to provide
uninterrupted service while NEMSA, the union representing AMR’s
paramedic workforce, conducts an informational picket. NEMSA issued AMR
a notice of intent to perform an informational picket starting on
Monday, February 1, 2010.
“We fully intend to provide raises to our employees, but the union wage
demand of an 18% increase is hard to understand when so many people are
unemployed, being furloughed or asked to take pay reductions”
AMR’s last best and final offer to the union contains a 9% pay increase
over three years, which the company believes is more than fair given the
current state of the nation’s economy. AMR’s San Mateo senior paramedics
are among the highest private paid paramedics in the country, with more
than 20% earning over $100,000 a year, and some earning over $140,000.
NEMSA is demanding a pay increase of 18% over three years. Although
formal contract negotiations have ended, NEMSA still has the option to
accept AMR’s offer.
“We fully intend to provide raises to our employees, but the union wage
demand of an 18% increase is hard to understand when so many people are
unemployed, being furloughed or asked to take pay reductions,” said Brad
White, AMR San Mateo General Manager.
In addition to a wage increase, AMR is continuing to offer employees one
of the most comprehensive benefits package in the industry that includes
health, dental and vision insurance, 401(k) with 5% company match, over
seven weeks a year of paid time off and company-paid life and disability
insurance.
Union representatives for the 46 full-time and 40 part-time paramedics
under the contract have only issued notice of a possible informational
picket, not a strike. However, AMR has drawn on its tremendous depth of
resources in neighboring areas and throughout the State to fortify our
local workforce with trained and accredited professionals in order to
ensure uninterrupted service should the union call for a work slow down
or other work action.
Source:
American Medical Response Inc.