Minister clarifies offer made to private ambulance operators

Health and Community Services Minister Gerald Smith today clarified government�s offer to the Newfoundland and Labrador Ambulance Operators Association.

"In recent days, there has been much mis-information conveyed about the offer government made to the Newfoundland and Labrador Ambulance Operators Association," said Minister Smith. "Government has listened to the concerns raised by the operators, and our offer addresses the two main issues � recruitment and retention of staff and lifestyle issues for paramedics."

The details of the offer include sufficient funding for operators to afford:

• An average salary for paramedics of $13.00 per hour, with sufficient funding also provided to increase wages for other staff. The salary increases would be effective retroactive to April 1, 2003, and the agreement will ensure retroactive payments are made to employees.
• On a go forward basis, new funding will be made available to enable the ambulance services to hire additional staff. There is no retroactivity associated with this funding since operators will not incur an expense until new staff are hired.
• Increase in the amount allocated for non-salary operating costs.

"Government�s offer represents a significant increase in the funding allocation for private ambulance services represented by this association. Under this proposal, operators will see a funding increase of approximately 55 per cent, calculated on a per annum basis to be $2.4 million," said the minister.

Minister Smith explained government recognizes that ambulance operators face unique problems in recruiting and retaining qualified staff, and the wage increase contained in the offer is designed to address these challenges. "In order to recruit and retain highly-skilled employees such as paramedics, operators must be able to offer a fair wage rate. Government recognizes that operators have been losing their skilled paramedics to other provinces. We also recognize that we need to achieve, as soon as possible, the national training standard of primary care paramedic. By providing sufficient funding for operators to provide a substantial wage adjustment, we want to help operators to make significant gains in addressing recruitment and retention issues," he said.

This offer will also provide funding to operators to hire additional staff. For every three ambulances, operators will be able to add two full-time positions to current staffing levels. "This provision directly addresses the lifestyle issues faced by paramedics. With increased staff, paramedics will not have to work as many on-call hours and will have the opportunity to have more regular work schedules, including regular time off," explained Minister Smith.

"Government has made a fair and generous offer, yet association president Mr. Steve MacKenzie continues to accuse government of being unfair to ambulance operators," said the minister. "I am amazed that this association stated in their recent letter to government that they want to sign an agreement �without restrictions or conditions attached�, something I simply cannot and will not do. All agreements consist of conditions for all parties, and government has an obligation to ensure that public funds are spent on the intended purpose.

"Furthermore, government needs to ensure that funding for recruitment and retention purposes actually reaches the pay cheques of employees," said Minister Smith. " If the operators do not want any conditions, then government cannot be assured that the wages and working conditions of paramedics will be improved to address recruitment and retention."

Minister Smith said that government recognizes the important service provided by ambulance operators in the province, and that government wants to conclude the negotiation process. "The people of the province depend on the service provided by ambulance operators throughout Newfoundland and Labrador. We want a system which meets the needs of the people of the province, and operates according to appropriate standards for patient and worker safety, and government�s offer to Newfoundland and Labrador Ambulance Operators Association addresses all these principles," he said.

Media contact: Diane Keough, Communications, (709) 729-1377

2003 08 13                                           3:45 p.m.