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NEWS RELEASE
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For Immediate Release Jan. 18, 2010 |
Ministry of Labour
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COMMISSION DELIVERS REPORT ON B.C. AMBULANCE SERVICE
VICTORIA – The industrial inquiry commission reviewing different service delivery and operational models for the B.C. Ambulance Service, including options on an appropriate collective bargaining structure, has delivered its report to Minister of Labour Murray Coell.
Commissioner Chris Trumpy’s report was received by the Minister on Jan. 15, 2010. It also examines issues relating to staff recruitment, training and retention; staff workload and occupational health and safety; deployment strategies; and total compensation for paramedics and dispatchers.
The report has been provided to CUPE Local 873, the union representing B.C.’s paramedics and dispatchers, and their employer, the Emergency and Health Services Commission.
“Mr. Trumpy has submitted a thoughtful and comprehensive report that will help inform the broader discussion about redesigning the B.C. Ambulance Service and the bargaining relationship between paramedics and their employer,” said Coell. “I have forwarded the report to my colleague, Minister of Health Services Kevin Falcon, who will be reviewing it.”
On Nov. 19, 2009, Trumpy was appointed as a one-person commission under the B.C. Labour Relations Code to examine the B.C. Ambulance Service. The report is non-binding, providing options for further consideration by government to help improve service delivery and the structure of collective bargaining for the Emergency and Health Services Commission and CUPE Local 873.
The complete report is available at: : www.labour.gov.bc.ca/pubs/pdf/IIC_Report_Jan_10_2010.pdf.
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Media Contact: |
Linda O’Connor Communications Manager Ministry of Labour 250 387-0172 |
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For more information on government services or to subscribe to the Province’s news feeds using RSS, visit the Province’s website at www.gov.bc.ca.
BACKGROUNDER
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For Immediate Release Jan. 18, 2010 |
Ministry of Labour
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B.C. AMBULANCE SERVICE COMMISSION TERMS OF REFERENCE
Under the terms of reference, the Report of the Industrial Inquiry Commission into the British Columbia Ambulance Service examined several areas.
1. An examination of the collective bargaining structure in the ambulance service including:
a. The delivery of ambulance services by way of an independent commission under the Emergency and Health Services Act (status quo).
b. The transfer of ambulance services to the Health Sector as either an independent commission or integrated into an existing service delivery structure in accordance with the Health Authorities Act.
c. Service redesign to facilitate greater alignment with municipal fire services.
2. A number of items specifically requested by the union local representing paramedics and dispatchers were examined including:
a. Staff recruitment.
b. Training and retention.
c. Staff workload and occupational health and safety issues.
d. Deployment strategies in comparison with other Canadian ambulance service delivery models.
3. A comparison of paramedic and dispatcher compensation across Canadian jurisdictions based on:
a. Wages.
b. Premiums for hours worked and hours on-call in rural and remote areas.
c. Benefits, including health and welfare benefits and pension plan.
The complete report is available at: www.labour.gov.bc.ca/pubs/pdf/IIC_Report_Jan_10_2010.pdf.
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Media Contact: |
Linda O’Connor Communications Manager Ministry of Labour 250 387-0172 |
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For more information on government services or to subscribe to the Province’s news feeds using RSS, visit the Province’s website at www.gov.bc.ca.
