Canadian Strike FAIL

[celticcare]

EXCUSE ME.... I AM THE HOUND OF EMTCITY!!!!!

And Dust, it was evident it was a shit stir thread. Too bad that the Canadian medics have morals that they wont comprimise their patients, it was the same as us as RN's striking for equal pay, a street cleaner was on more than an RN here and we couldnt abandon our patients or their families to strike, it took years to get anywhere and now we finally have a level of pay that is satisfactory *not great but satisfactory*

Keep the sob story out of the thread Dust, you've had that many jobs that its not actually proof of creditbility, its a sign of not sticking in, yes the general field has been medicine, but its been through many sometimes versitility is not better than secure grounding.

There have been plenty of threads where you have bashed Canada and other nations. again another sign of the "Gi Joe the great american Hero" mentality possessed by ex military.

I've not been in the military nor have any desire to be in it, I serve my country and my commonwealth through science and looking after my own people. Each day I wonder how much further you can slip with posts dust, and another -10 from me today.

Scotty

[Happiness]

ROFL! If you have to remind the public that you've been on strike for two months, your strike is teh FAIL!

I did it for the same reason I post every other news article that I post here. To inform. No agenda. But I am certainly as welcome to post my opinions on these stories as anyone else, aren't I?

Nope no sarcasim there

Who did I judge? I posted a story and said their strike was a failure. That's it. Don't play the innocent victim here. You and your attack dog friend here made it personal, not me

Woof Woof I hate to point our the above ROFL! If you have to remind the public that you've been on strike for two months, your strike is teh FAIL! that is exactly what made this personal, you should read the later post I made that explains why this has been going on as long as it has, its actualy makes sense, you'll see. All you have to do to the attack dog friend is rub her tummy.

Don't play the innocent victim here. Come on Dust you know me better than that (and annie also) to think that I am innocent in any aspect of my life and victim I am not.

Why dont you post the quaility post you use to that actually made us think. I hate to tell you but you have and evil twin brother that has lowered his standards to posting uniformed threads (and he`s a bit of prick) just so you know.

PS unlike out resident dog AKA boytoy I have been in the military and come from a very long line of military people so I truely understand the crap (and enjoyment) that lifestyle can be.

[Dustdevil]

ROFL! If you have to remind the public that you've been on strike for two months, your strike is teh FAIL! that is exactly what made this personal...

WTF is personal about that? Did I ever say anything about you personally? Did I say anything about BC medics in general? Did I say anything to disparage BCAS? No. It was a statement of fact. You have been on strike for two months, and the public doesn't even realise it yet. That is the very definition of fail. Personal? Is your entire personal identity tied up in your union leadership? Are you the one who ordered the strike? How would this be personal for you? If my organisation fails, I don't take it personal when someone points it out.

Come on Dust you know me better than that (and annie also) to think that I am innocent in any aspect of my life and victim I am not.

I thought I did. But both of you have gone off the deep end on this one, attacking me for something I never did. When you whine that I was attacking BCAS medics, when I was not -- and you're smart enough to know I was not -- then that is playing the victim. I was not the aggressor here. And to claim I was is a lie.

Why dont you post the quaility post you use to that actually made us think.

Why don't you? When was the last time you posted anything like that? I didn't post this thread to make anyone think. I posted it because it was EMS related news. Period. But I disagree that it doesn't make anyone think. Everyone in EMS should read that news article and give serious thought to what they would do in a similar situation.

I hate to tell you but you have and evil twin brother that has lowered his standards to posting uniformed threads (and he`s a bit of prick) just so you know.

Nonsense. I have always posted news articles like this. Most of them never get past a couple of replies. I never heard you complain about any of them. Maybe this one just struck a nerve because it revealed the failure of your union. That's what this is all about, isn't it? You're embarrassed, and you're taking it out on me. How lame.

And Dust, it was evident it was a shit stir thread.

What shyte was I trying to stir?

Keep the sob story out of the thread Dust, you've had that many jobs that its not actually proof of creditbility, its a sign of not sticking in, yes the general field has been medicine, but its been through many sometimes versitility is not better than secure grounding.

Ummm... I said it was what I knew best. I didn't say it was the only thing I've ever done in my life. Now who is stirring shyte?

There have been plenty of threads where you have bashed Canada...

Post proof or STFU. You won't find it, because I have NEVER posted any such thing. Pretty much anytime I even mention Canadian EMS here it is to proclaim it's superiority over American EMS. You're lying, cock breath.

[celticcare]

WTF is personal about that? Did I ever say anything about you personally? Did I say anything about BC medics in general? Did I say anything to disparage BCAS? No. It was a statement of fact. You have been on strike for two months, and the public doesn't even realise it yet. That is the very definition of fail. Personal? Is your entire personal identity tied up in your union leadership? Are you the one who ordered the strike? How would this be personal for you? If my organisation fails, I don't take it personal when someone points it out.

I thought I did. But both of you have gone off the deep end on this one, attacking me for something I never did. When you whine that I was attacking BCAS medics, when I was not -- and you're smart enough to know I was not -- then that is playing the victim. I was not the aggressor here. And to claim I was is a lie.

Why don't you? When was the last time you posted anything like that? I didn't post this thread to make anyone think. I posted it because it was EMS related news. Period. But I disagree that it doesn't make anyone think. Everyone in EMS should read that news article and give serious thought to what they would do in a similar situation.

Nonsense. I have always posted news articles like this. Most of them never get past a couple of replies. I never heard you complain about any of them. Maybe this one just struck a nerve because it revealed the failure of your union. That's what this is all about, isn't it? You're embarrassed, and you're taking it out on me. How lame.

What shyte was I trying to stir?

Ummm... I said it was what I knew best. I didn't say it was the only thing I've ever done in my life. Now who is stirring shyte?

Post proof or STFU. You won't find it, because I have NEVER posted any such thing. Pretty much anytime I even mention Canadian EMS here it is to proclaim it's superiority over American EMS. You're lying, cock breath.

*Licks LIps and smiles* Oh sorry were you talking to me?

[tniuqs]

Paramedics, BCAS, did staffing analysis study

THE DAILY NEWSJUNE 8, 2009

Re: 'Many paramedics underemployed' (Daily News, June 2)

I would like to provide some clarification regarding the information from this article regarding ambulance services in Nanaimo.

Nanaimo is currently served by seven ambulances, four of which are staffed by mainly full-time paramedics, two are staffed by part-time paramedics standing by at the station and one is staffed by part-time paramedics who are on-call.

An advanced life support ambulance is available 24/7 in Nanaimo and the remaining ambulances are all basic life support units.

Only one of the seven Nanaimo ambulances is actually manned by on-call paramedics earning the $2 an hour to carry a pager and be available in the community to respond to calls. These paramedics are paid their full hourly rate for a minimum of four hours when they are called in to work. Part-time paramedics who work standing by at the station are paid $10.80 per hour to be available to respond from the station and receive their full hourly rate for a minimum of three hours when they respond to calls.

In June 2008, B.C. Ambulance Service and the paramedic union undertook an analysis of staffing needs in Nanaimo. The recommendations from these joint discussions were implemented last August and included adding one daytime ambulance and one on-call ambulance.

The additional ambulances reduce the instances in which ambulance resources from neighbouring communities are required to provide coverage in Nanaimo.

BCAS remains hopeful that negotiations will resume following the assistance of facilitators that have been working with the parties in recent weeks. Until that time, an essential services order issued by the Labour Relations Board helps ensure the public is not negatively impacted by the current labour dispute.

Sue Conroy

Chief Operating Officer

B.C. Ambulance Service

The part time, full time (or mostly full time ... huh ? ) or just "on call" is issue is bamboozling to me ... are the FF and Police on a pager part time/full time or just "on call" too.

Same Scene, Same Pay !

Dump Sue .... there's your problem.

[Happiness]

Ok Dust Im going to stop, It was never intended to go this far to make you so upset. But on the topic of the strike the fact is that you should have read my later post that explained why this strike is taking so long and it is again because of a Provincial Election that we had and the government in power is not able to commit to any financial agreements while they are campaining. Also yes the public knows we are on strike but since we still arrive in their time need they dont understand what is really going on. They are going to the table for 2 days of talks this week.

Now as for the little dig of why I dont post great thread is because I really dont have the ability to do so. I will admit it I personally like to read a thread and then get my brain in gear and respond and that is just the way it, but I am posting a Thread under funny stuff if you care to go see it as I like to bring humor into this world and I do that pretty good.

Hope you understand that many people whether you like it or not took this personaly and not as in you were bashing the ability of the BCAS Paramedics but because you were slamming and laughing at an issue that is beyond our control so try to look at it that way.

[emtannie]

As Happi has done a very good job of again explaining why other members on this site interpreted Dust’s comments as sarcastic and offensive, I won’t go into any more detail on it.

Dust, please remember that like any other member on this site, you can post your opinions; however, that also means that others can post theirs, even if they don’t agree with you, and just as you question their opinions, they have the right to question yours.

OK… back to the discussion on BCAS…

Squint, I read over that news article….

If I am reading it correctly, 4 of the Nanaimo ambulances are staffed full time (but not necessarily by full time employees) who are at the station, getting full pay for being there, regardless if the tones go. Two are staffed by part timers who are paid essentially a “partial wage” to be at the station and “full wage” when the tones go… and one is staffed by the $2/hr on call staff……

I am like you …. WTF…. Holy administrative paperwork batman…. Having 3 different pay structures within the same area must be a nightmare. I would like to see how much they are paying in administrative costs to keep track of all this.

What is the response time like for those who are “on call”? Is there a minimum response time criteria in place for those units? Is there a provincial standard for response times in urban settings? I know there is in Alberta…. I just wonder if Nanaimo meets the BC provincial standards with their interesting structure.

Is there a requirement for the part-timers to do a minimum number of $2/hr shifts? At station shifts? Is there any protection for them so they don’t always get stuck on the $2/hr rotation? If I have no plans, and am going to be at home for a few days AFTER I have completed a full tour at full pay, sure I would carry a pager for $2/hr when I am just sitting at home. BUT if I am not getting full shifts, and my only income is the $2/hr shifts, I would be looking for other work ASAP.

Is that same pay structure happening at other locations as well? I agree with “Same Scene, Same Pay”…. But this should also extend to “same shift, same pay” and “same job, same pay.”

[Happiness]

Annie I would like to clarify the $2.00 issue. In my station I get paid the $2 for holding my pager and if the pager goes off I get paid my regular wage for 4 hrs regardless if the call only takes 1. It use to be that I would loose the pager pay if I got a call but for the last year they changed it on their own and gave us all of our pager pay back for days that we recieved a call.(hope that makes sense).

There is a min response time but I dont know what it is for sure but 15 min rings a bell. Depending were I am in town it takes no more than 5 min to get to the station.

Most people that are on the 2 hr shift are in rual arreas like myself and do have other jobs. I am a very lucky person and my employers allow me to leave my job as a bean counter as long as I make up my time. There is really no reason for us to employ full timers here as there is not enough call volumn to warrent it. Our average about 250-300 (just estimating) and sometimes I do have 3 calls in one day. One thing you will find in arreas like were I live is that people got into BCAS for community service, it use to be totally volenteer when it was started here. They didn't even provide the training, The original medics here and there is only one left that does min shift had to pay for their own training. (Iv been lucky in my timeing as all of my training has been provided for me one way or another)

Here as a part time station I am required to available for 3 shifts a month to keep my senority but the new ones that come in the system are required to available for 8. That does not mean that they get all eight. It is unfortunant in some cases as they have a hard time filling up the scedule, even here with me available for 6 day shifts a week and I keep my pager on incase it goes to second page and with about 10 other part timers. One thing I have found with the new ones that were hired and trained is I thought some of the night shift pressure would go away and some did we have less holes than before. The problem is they now dont want to work weekends and holidays, and the employer cannot tell them that they have to work certain shifts. (this senerio is different for the full timers)

I hope this answers your questions in my long winded way.

[emtannie]

Thanks Happi -

That does make sense in rural areas where the call volume doesn`t warrant full time paid employees. I have seen similar setups in my region for more rural services that don`t have a high call volume.

I am wondering though... for Nanaimo, their call volume would be higher, wouldn`t it... I just quickly googled, and the Nanaimo region has over 131000 people with the city proper having approx 67000.

The two cities I am closest to, Medicine Hat (pop 57000) and Lethbridge (pop 84000) do not have any on call or call in units. All units are fully staffed 24-7 with ALS units.

I wonder if those on call units are the more rural units in the Nanaimo region, and not the city itself. That would make more sense.....

[tniuqs]

I am like you …. WTF…. Holy administrative paperwork batman…. Having 3 different pay structures within the same area must be a nightmare. I would like to see how much they are paying in administrative costs to keep track of all this.

You too annie?

Honestly if any improvement to BCAS in delivery of service is to occur then a restructure starting at the TOP would be the way to re invent that "wheel" a lot of dead wood around ... old growth cedars and sitka can be up to 400 years old, maybe time to start logging ?

Reevaluation of the ACP level for ALL communities (no offence there happi) and BC needs to understand that Paramedicine is not a part time job (no matter what level) put the medics in the hospitals to keep skills up and duty hours and provide better services to the community.

(Please apply Daltons Laws of Partial Pressures) ... google that .. te he.

Hey ... Look to NS where the ACP/CCP and NP work together in the outlying clinics .. have heard this has gone extremely well, could it be the EAST is now the new leaders in EMS in Canada ?

I sure wish Alberta Health would do that too in passing, Liepert AB Health minister says he wants this ... BUT show me the money first with this new improved ? AB health Ambulance transition thing I have serious doubt, sorry off topic / province.

(ps happi you could get more "paid" training out of that concept application)

cheers

Edited June 9, 2009 by tniuqs