BC EMS
Currently the BC ambulance service is on strike, and have been for quite a while (ie: almost a year). Since the start of the strike they have been classed an essential service they technically can't "strike".
One of the issues on the table is wages. This is not surprising at all, most contract talks stall over this subject. BC EMS members would like to be paid on par with other emergency services, namely RCMP.
Some people I have heard in discussions are for and some are against this concept. I personally am for it.
It was argued (one of the arguments against wage equality) that unlike RCMP we do not put our lives on the line every day. I, for one, have never bought into the hero ideal of emergency services. We all have jobs to do, and my job is no less important than anyone else's, nor more important. All the varrious jobs are required to make our comfortable society and world go around.
I agree that we don't chase down 'bad guys' or have wild car chases, and in honest truth most RCMP don't either. It is true people want to see RCMP a lot less than most want to see an EMS crew arrive at their door. I will also fully admit that we see a marked less number of agressive persons in my line of work. However, we do deal with scared, agressive, panic-y, stressed, intoxicated, altered people on a daily basis. It is true that most people don't pull knives and guns on us, but it does happen. My partner was nearly assulted with a hammer one day by a particularly sneeky mentally disturbed person. I have had fists swung in my direction more times than I can count, and am very lucky to count knife appearences only once, and zero for guns.
My other thought though is the threat to my life daily on the job that few consider.
Needle pokes and blood and body fluid transmission is a very real threat. Being a paramedic, nearly every patient gets an IV or a needle of some varriety. Quite honestly blood scares me. The amount of crap that can be floating around someone's circulatory system, known or unknown is staggering.
I am an admited germaphobe. Personally I blame my pre-med zoology prof, whose preoccupation with parasites was disturbing. Since that day I see bacteria, fungus and virus' EVERYWHERE!! Now I am not quite as bad as some, I can still shake people's hands and open doors. However, you can bet on me washing my hands completely before touching my food or face. Now in the back of an ambulance - to me - EVERY SURFACE is crawling.
The point of this was to not discribe my OCD factors (although reading back I certainly sound crazy) or to point out that EMS is better than RCMP (which it is not). The point was to show that every aspect of emergency services -Fire, EMS, RCMP- are all naturally dangerous professions, each in their own unique way. So to use the argument that RCMP is a more risky profession as justification for wage disparity.... well it just doesn't hold water with me.
One of the issues on the table is wages. This is not surprising at all, most contract talks stall over this subject. BC EMS members would like to be paid on par with other emergency services, namely RCMP.
Some people I have heard in discussions are for and some are against this concept. I personally am for it.
It was argued (one of the arguments against wage equality) that unlike RCMP we do not put our lives on the line every day. I, for one, have never bought into the hero ideal of emergency services. We all have jobs to do, and my job is no less important than anyone else's, nor more important. All the varrious jobs are required to make our comfortable society and world go around.
I agree that we don't chase down 'bad guys' or have wild car chases, and in honest truth most RCMP don't either. It is true people want to see RCMP a lot less than most want to see an EMS crew arrive at their door. I will also fully admit that we see a marked less number of agressive persons in my line of work. However, we do deal with scared, agressive, panic-y, stressed, intoxicated, altered people on a daily basis. It is true that most people don't pull knives and guns on us, but it does happen. My partner was nearly assulted with a hammer one day by a particularly sneeky mentally disturbed person. I have had fists swung in my direction more times than I can count, and am very lucky to count knife appearences only once, and zero for guns.
My other thought though is the threat to my life daily on the job that few consider.
Needle pokes and blood and body fluid transmission is a very real threat. Being a paramedic, nearly every patient gets an IV or a needle of some varriety. Quite honestly blood scares me. The amount of crap that can be floating around someone's circulatory system, known or unknown is staggering.
I am an admited germaphobe. Personally I blame my pre-med zoology prof, whose preoccupation with parasites was disturbing. Since that day I see bacteria, fungus and virus' EVERYWHERE!! Now I am not quite as bad as some, I can still shake people's hands and open doors. However, you can bet on me washing my hands completely before touching my food or face. Now in the back of an ambulance - to me - EVERY SURFACE is crawling.
The point of this was to not discribe my OCD factors (although reading back I certainly sound crazy) or to point out that EMS is better than RCMP (which it is not). The point was to show that every aspect of emergency services -Fire, EMS, RCMP- are all naturally dangerous professions, each in their own unique way. So to use the argument that RCMP is a more risky profession as justification for wage disparity.... well it just doesn't hold water with me.