With unanimous support, paramedics and EMTs form a union with AFSCME in Montana

[Omaha Steve]

Staff at AMR Bozeman, Montana, formed a union through AFSCME Council 9. Photo credit: Tyler Holmes.

https://www.afscme.org/blog/with-unanimous-support-paramedics-and-emts-form-a-union-with-afscme-in-montana

By Aaron Gallant · Monday, April 22, 2024

Faced with low pay, high turnover and faulty equipment, a group of dedicated EMTs and paramedics at AMR Bozeman voted unanimously to form a new union.

These new union members made history in February as the first EMS workers to form a union with AFSCME Council 9 and the first AMR employees to unionize in Montana.

“We really love what we do, we want to be helping people,” said Chris Dooley, who left his career in human resources to become an EMT. “But we need to make enough money to get by.”

Their pleas to management for better equipment, like new ambulances that can safely transport patients in Bozeman’s mountainous terrain, also went unresolved.

FULL story at link above.

[Midnight Writer]

1. One of my greatest fears is having a medical emergency and an underpaid, disgruntled EMT shows up.

If anyone deserves a raise and the equipment and back-up to do their job, it is EMTs.

Used to be a city function in my town, based at the fire station and union-staffed.

But the city decided to contract it out. Some fly-by-night outfit came in, got the contract, and set up shop in an old gas station. Lasted about a year, and the company closed down, leaving the city with no EMT service.

Now another private contractor has come in and pays their EMTs about the same as a fast-food worker and apparently treats them about as well. Worker turn-over is about three months. Training is minimal. God bless the workers, but I hope I never have to rely on them in an emergency.

[montanacowboy]

2. Good on them!

Montana needs more of this, a hell of a lot more