AMR Riverside Strike!

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Virgil

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Damn, and here I was getting set up for an interview there
 

Virgil

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Come join the fun 😉


In all seriousness, I was considering there, Redlands, and Rancho Cucamonga. Could you speak to any of those in terms of call frequency, management, etc?
 

CCCSD

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Before all of you get Angsty over my post, I suffered through much of the same as a Paramedic. It wasn’t a surprise for us to be held over regularly. We worked 24s and the longest “Hostage Holdover” my partner and I worked was six days straight. Shagging call after call. We finally got released when our Base Station ER Doc saw us for the nth day in a row, refused to let us leave as a medical issue (Dx: Exhaustion, Dehydration) and called County Comm and pulled us from service.

The fallout was a hoot.

You guys need to understand that the citizens only care that an ambulance responds. They don’t care about your demands for new shiny things, or more money. So...don’t rely on a piece of paper like the one posted that is poorly written and doesn’t convey a great message.

Make sure your Spokesperson is really a person who is qualified to speak, not just a trumped up union member. You do more damage when you can’t get concepts across to the public.

Good luck with that...
 

DesertMedic66

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And one of the other divisions in Riverside county just gave a 8% pay raise to all field employees.
 

DrParasite

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You know what?

@CCCSD is right.

If you strike, and ambulances don't meet their response times, the company will blame the union members for walking off their jobs. The company did their best to cover for the workers who decided that their greed was more important than doing the job they signed up for. The sporting events will definitely get their attention, because if they breach those contracts, the penalties can be huge.

6 back to back 24s? that's idiotic. I'd quit. or go home sick, and start applying elsewhere, because your employer clearly didn't give a damn about you. I've been forced at work... we worked 12s, and could be forced for 6 hours if needed. at another job, I was forced for an entire 12 making it an unscheduled 24 hour shift. it happens, it's part of the job. But at the end of the day, it's a job, and getting constantly mandated gets old.

Don't you guys work second jobs? have husbands/wives and families to go home to? pets that need to be fed or talked? other responsibilities? don't your kids want to see their mother or father? Don't you want to sleep in your own bed, instead of being constantly sleep deprived?

I support your desire to strike, but to be honest, I'd quit. The only reason they treat you like that is because you tolerate that. or because you are only a number, and if you quit, than some other shmuck will gladly take your spot. Striking might allow you to get some of the things you want, but everything has a cost, and unless it's written into the contract, your conditions can still deteriorate.

Quit, get educated, and move to a system that doesn't treat you so poorly. Get lucky and get that golden ticket that allows you to ride that big red truck.

People sometimes ask me why I'm against private, for-profit EMS providers, and refuse to work for one... this is exactly why
 
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BASICallyEMT

BASICallyEMT

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You know what?

@CCCSD is right.

If you strike, and ambulances don't meet their response times, the company will blame the union members for walking off their jobs. The company did their best to cover for the workers who decided that their greed was more important than doing the job they signed up for. The sporting events will definitely get their attention, because if they breach those contracts, the penalties can be huge.

6 back to back 24s? that's idiotic. I'd quit. or go home sick, and start applying elsewhere, because your employer clearly didn't give a damn about you. I've been forced at work... we worked 12s, and could be forced for 6 hours if needed. at another job, I was forced for an entire 12 making it an unscheduled 24 hour shift. it happens, it's part of the job. But at the end of the day, it's a job, and getting constantly mandated gets old.

Don't you guys work second jobs? have husbands/wives and families to go home to? pets that need to be fed or talked? other responsibilities? don't your kids want to see their mother or father? Don't you want to sleep in your own bed, instead of being constantly sleep deprived?

I support your desire to strike, but to be honest, I'd quit. The only reason they treat you like that is because you tolerate that. or because you are only a number, and if you quit, than some other shmuck will gladly take your spot. Striking might allow you to get some of the things you want, but everything has a cost, and unless it's written into the contract, your conditions can still deteriorate.

Quit, get educated, and move to a system that doesn't treat you so poorly. Get lucky and get that golden ticket that allows you to ride that big red truck.

People sometimes ask me why I'm against private, for-profit EMS providers, and refuse to work for one... this is exactly why

Or stand up to the company and remind them that their workforce is pretty important and not just a number? Thats the main problem with private EMS being seen as a stepping stone job. People don't stay and stand up to their employer they just move on. A lot of us actually like the system we work in and believe it or not everyone doesn't want to be a firefighter/cop. We do most the medical workload in this county and we deserve more respect. We are trying to help change our industry for the better and all the support is much appreciated.
 
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BASICallyEMT

BASICallyEMT

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And one of the other divisions in Riverside county just gave a 8% pay raise to all field employees.
Probably because minimum wage is going up about the same %
 
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DrParasite

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Or stand up to the company and remind them that their workforce is pretty important and not just a number? Thats the main problem with private EMS being seen as a stepping stone job. People don't stay and stand up to their employer they just move on. A lot of us actually like the system we work in and believe it or not everyone doesn't want to be a firefighter/cop. We do most the medical workload in this county and we deserve more respect. We are trying to help change our industry for the better and all the support is much appreciated.
Are you really that naive????

The company doesn't care about you. Your strike isn't going to remind them of anything; only that they need bodies to fulfill their contractual requirements, at the cheapest possible, to maximize profits. You can stand up to your employer, but in all likely hood, they won't care; it's cheaper to replace you. This exact same situation happens all over the country on a daily basis, so don't think others haven't tried it already.

you don't have to become a firefighter or cop; move to a system that treats you better, because apparently your current one doesn't care about you. Good luck changing the industry for the better.... maybe you'll get lucky, but don't hold your breath, because all you will do is pass out. Until you get into the executive circle, you aren't going to be changing anything from within, sorry to burst your bubble.

If you like your system so much, then quit *****ing about it. I liked my old job, because it allowed me to pay my bills, and support my lifestyle. but it was only a job. there were better jobs, and towards the end, I found my self at a crossroads: I could stay at a job where morale sucked, pay was ok, but conditions were terrible, supervisors sucked, and staffing issues existed, or I could leave that black hole and be happy. And I relocated and got myself a job in a better system. Remember, no manager likes a union; moreover, unions wouldn't exist if it wasn't for the crappy employers. And no manager likes unions, so you can strike, but don't be surprised if that strike has unintended consequences down the road.

I'm a former union member, and I support you 100%; but I'm also an educated individual, so I know how business's work, and economics is something that most EMS workers don't understand (or haven't tried to learn about). Remember when I mentioned getting educated? start there.

oh, and next time you say "we deserve more respect" make sure you are stamping your feet. It will help get your point across.
 
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BASICallyEMT

BASICallyEMT

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A
Are you really that naive????

The company doesn't care about you. Your strike isn't going to remind them of anything; only that they need bodies to fulfill their contractual requirements, at the cheapest possible, to maximize profits. You can stand up to your employer, but in all likely hood, they won't care; it's cheaper to replace you. This exact same situation happens all over the country on a daily basis, so don't think others haven't tried it already.

you don't have to become a firefighter or cop; move to a system that treats you better, because apparently your current one doesn't care about you. Good luck changing the industry for the better.... maybe you'll get lucky, but don't hold your breath, because all you will do is pass out. Until you get into the executive circle, you aren't going to be changing anything from within, sorry to burst your bubble.

If you like your system so much, then quit *****ing about it. I liked my old job, because it allowed me to pay my bills, and support my lifestyle. but it was only a job. there were better jobs, and towards the end, I found my self at a crossroads: I could stay at a job where morale sucked, pay was ok, but conditions were terrible, supervisors sucked, and staffing issues existed, or I could leave that black hole and be happy. And I relocated and got myself a job in a better system. Remember, no manager likes a union; moreover, unions wouldn't exist if it wasn't for the crappy employers. And no manager likes unions, so you can strike, but don't be surprised if that strike has unintended consequences down the road.

I'm a former union member, and I support you 100%; but I'm also an educated individual, so I know how business's work, and economics is something that most EMS workers don't understand (or haven't tried to learn about). Remember when I mentioned getting educated? start there.

oh, and next time you say "we deserve more respect" make sure you are stamping your feet. It will help get your point across.
So since we are trying to make change for the better that means we are uneducated? Your mindset is the reason these companies continue the practice the way they do. We can go back and forth. But since you might just "Burst my bubble" and I'm "naive" whats the point...
 

CCCSD

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What IS the purpose of your strike? A pay raise? EAP? Didn’t you get all that under Prop 11? I mean, that’s what you told the voters...
Any public support will go away as soon as you fail to respond and a child dies.
 

DesertMedic66

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What IS the purpose of your strike? A pay raise? EAP? Didn’t you get all that under Prop 11? I mean, that’s what you told the voters...
Any public support will go away as soon as you fail to respond and a child dies.
Prop 11 didn’t give anyone a pay raise. All it did was make the company not be required to give us a lunch break and not be required to pay us an extra hour if we don’t get a break. Everything else in the prop were already things that the vast majority of EMS agencies in CA already do/require such as FEMA training. For EAP there is no stipulation on how many sessions you can get covered by the company, it could only be one.

Just to put it another way, the major backer who spent tens of millions in advertising for prop 11 was AMR.
 
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BASICallyEMT

BASICallyEMT

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What IS the purpose of your strike? A pay raise? EAP? Didn’t you get all that under Prop 11? I mean, that’s what you told the voters...
Any public support will go away as soon as you fail to respond and a child dies.
Did we get all that under prop 11? Nope, you just believed the lie like everyone else. They paid $30mil to buy their own bill in order to not pay employees for violating labor laws. "AMR is violating the National Labor Relations Act by bargaining in bad faith AND by stripping us of our right to union expression/organization . That is proven by them telling employees to remove their “No on 11” buttons, telling employees to remove their “Meat in the Seat” and “Fair Contract Now” buttons, by them telling employees to remove their “text message” buttons, by denying our information request we asked for during bargaining, and by giving us a wage proposal that simple is a slap in the face because it gives what the minimum wage gives." Thats why we are striking!
 

Aprz

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What IS the purpose of your strike? A pay raise? EAP? Didn’t you get all that under Prop 11? I mean, that’s what you told the voters...
Any public support will go away as soon as you fail to respond and a child dies.
Check out https://www.emtlife.com/threads/california-prop-11.47348/. Prop 11 was a sham and most Californian EMTs and paramedics fought against it. Unfortunately, American Medical Response had deeper pockets than we did.

 

Jim37F

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AMR be like:
FB_IMG_1554690577617.jpg
 

CCCSD

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Doesn’t matter if 11 is a sham. The public was told, BY EMTS and Paramedics, it was a great thing and would result in better things. You guys shot yourselves in the foot, not us.

Before you enter politics, have a plan and someone who KNOWS what they are doing, and a media consultant. Your union doesn’t have a clue.
 

DrParasite

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Doesn’t matter if 11 is a sham. The public was told, BY EMTS and Paramedics, it was a great thing and would result in better things. You guys shot yourselves in the foot, not us.
Ummmm, I don't think any EMTs or Paramedics said it was a good thing. The only guys who said it was a good thing was AMR, as it got them off the hook for 100 million in liability for failing to properly pay their staff. You know, that for profit company that isn't looking out for their employees best interests..... that's what the union is for, and I agree, they really blew it on prop 11.

Here is the original discussion on Prop 11: https://emtlife.com/threads/california-prop-11.47348/
 

CCCSD

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Ummmm. Since you aren’t in CA, you don’t know what was presented to the public. It was sold that this would increase training, skills, staffing, response.
 
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