Hasting Quinte Paramedics are in bargaining negotiations with their employer, Hastings County, but say they have reached an impasse as “the negotiator won’t negotiate on critical items that are essential to (their) work” .
These include short staffing, heavy workloads and wages.
Paramedics say that working conditions are impeding their ability to provide care for the community and that people in the community “need to know that an ambulance will be there when they need one”.
A picket happened Monday afternoon with Paramedics gathering in Stirling to raise awareness, sharing signs with slogans like: “Break the stigma not the paramedic” and “Paramedics need breaks too”.
In a conversation with Moose FM, one paramedic had this to say: “Medics want so badly to help people, thats why we got into this profession, but the working conditions, understaffing, lacking in mental health benefits, all of that is putting our ability to help patients in a very scary position.”
Those who wish to learn more about the issues facing Hastings County Paramedics can do so at www.911wecantwait.ca 