The Government of Newfoundland and Labrador took a drastic step today to undermine organized labour and the future of EMS in rural areas of the province.
Despite assurances from the union representing these dedicated workers and on the eve of the eleventh hour to return to the table by the union, in an attempt to avoid job action, the Department of Health and Community Services sent out a letter late yesterday afternoon to call on all PCP and EMRs in this province, including those who have not held registration in this province for the last five years, to recruit them to be scab workers.
The Regional Health Authorities have agreed to provide funds to increase the scab worker wage approximately $12.00/ hour more than current wages. This is substantially more than the unionized workers were seeking. Furthermore, the Regional Health Authority will provide funds to the employer to cover accommodation, travel and miscellaneous expenses at provincial government rates for these scab workers.
Spokesperson and lead negotiator for the Teamsters union Hubert Dawe denounces government’s involvement of interfering in due process and the right of these workers to take job action; the same minister who denied the union a voice at the table with the private operators and refused to get involved stating it’s a private employer matter as it wouldn’t be right for government to interfere, the same government who hides behind these service agreements, refuses to designate PCPs, EMRs and dispatchers as essential workers, and now uses the tax payers’ money to hire replacement scab workers at better wage rates.
Hubert Dawe believes government’s move will back fire on them as our phones haven’t stopped with irate members. The government, by taking this action, has placed these workers in a position that they are now questioning their good faith gesture to guarantee continued, uninterrupted emergency service in rural NL.
The union is calling on the government to reverse its decision to participate in union busting and if they are not willing to provide meaningful help, just let the collective bargaining process take its course as government has preached in the past.
The union is also appealing to any PCP or EMRs who may see this as a good deal to consider the consequences of undermining the only option their fellow medics have to better the current system and ensure the future of EMS in rural NL.
This government’s Anti-union Animas and Union Busting are a sign of things to come for unionize workers in this province, these swift and unusual steps certainly show what the liberals are prepared to do under Furey’s leadership.
News Release Scab Workers – May 26 2021
CONTACT INFORMATION FOR TEAMSTERS
Hubert Dawe, Business Agent – Health Care Division,
Teamsters Union Local 855,
Cell: (709) 727-0610
email: hdawe@teamstersl855.com