Teamsters welcomes essential services legislation, but fears ‘retaliation’ from one employer; Opposition maintains government’s contingency plan is not working:
Paramedics at Fewer’s Ambulance Services in Newfoundland and Labrador marked their third day on strike Monday, Jan. 23, as politicians held an emergency debate on legislation that would force them back to work.
The workers are seeking better pay and a pension plan.
The union representing the workers, Teamsters Local 855, said the legislation is a light at the end of the tunnel.
Hubert Dawe, the business agent of Teamsters Local 855 public services division, said as a union member he wouldn’t typically want to be forced back to work.
“However, with this employer, he has continuously refused to negotiate. He’s snubbed his nose at the government, and the procedures that have been laid out. The binding arbitration, we feel, is the only way we’re going to get any satisfaction from this employer and get a collective agreement negotiated,” Dawe explained to reporters at Confederation Building Monday afternoon.
The proposed bill is Bill 24, the Essential Ambulance Services Act. If approved, it would provide a path to binding arbitration. It stipulates that an essential ambulance services agreement must be in place before a strike or lockout can begin. The agreement would outline what work is considered essential, and how workers are assigned (including how many and where).
As of press deadline Monday evening, politicians were still debating the bill. However, the government was confident it would pass on Monday.
(Editor’s note: The bill to make private ambulances an essential service passed, with amendments, late Monday night and received Royal Assent early Tuesday morning, Jan. 24, 2023.)
About 100 workers are involved in the job action in Conception Bay South, Holyrood, Stephenville, Ferryland, Arnold’s Cove, Bonavista, Catalina, Clarenville, Lethbridge, Port Rexton, Terrenceville, Gambo, Boyd’s Cove, Carmanville, Fogo Island and Trepassey.