Paramedics stage strike 
despite intimidation tactics

Gil McGowan, AFL Staff

About 260 Edmonton paramedics walked off the job on two separate occasions in early June in defiance of both the provincial government and their employer, the City of Edmonton.

The paramedics voted to strike after it became clear that the City was unwilling to budge on any of the union’s major issues – including wages and shortages of both staff and ambulances.

The dispute was only resolved when union members agreed to significantly scale-back their original demands.

"Our members voted in favour of the new collective agreement, not because they like it," said CUPE 3197 president Randy Littlechild. "They voted for it because they believed our bargaining committee when we said it’s the best possible deal we could get at the time."

The scales were tipped against the union even before the strike began. On the day before the walk-out, the provincial government passed a special order removing the paramedics legal right to strike.

This move criminalized the strike and removed all incentive on the City’s part to negotiate in good faith.

"As a result of the provincial government’s actions, the City basically refused to bargain with us," said Littlechild. "But by going on strike anyway, our members demonstrated that we won’t be bullied and we won’t be intimidated."

The deal that was eventually ratified by CUPE 3197 members gives the paramedics a 10.8 percent wage increase over three years – slightly better than the City’s last offer. The agreement also provides an extra pay increment for long-service employees – something the union had been looking for.

But despite these gains Littlechild said his members were still disappointed – especially by the way they were treated by both levels of government.

"The City and the Province may think they can make all their problems go away by removing our right to strike," he said. "But the truth is that making strikes illegal will not make strikes disappear – it will only increase tensions."

The one bright spot in the whole situation was the support the paramedics received from the public.

"This strike was really about protecting and improving the quality of ambulance services in this city. And the citizens of Edmonton supported us in that effort."