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Deployment Schedule Update

On Wednesday, May 12th, Leslie Mueller proposed sweeping changes and cuts to the ALS and BLS programs in Contra Costa County. Among those proposed changes was the move to a large number of 8/40, 9/45, and 10/50 schedules. Along with these proposed schedule changes it was proposed to cut 21 full time paramedic positions (yes it was 22 but there was an extra person on the seniority list) and replace them with 21 EMT positions.. The proposal changed 9 shifts to 9/45 and 10/50 schedules in the ALS system and 6 shifts to 8/40 and 10/50 schedules in the BLS system. The “meet and confer” meeting was scheduled for May 17th at 1400 at Concord Operations.

Today at the “meet and confer” the meeting was attended my management, shop stewards, and some employees. A couple of items relating to the rebid, down grading, and the lack of opportunity for ALS positions in Contra Costa County were discussed. First Bill Bower presented our proposal to their draft deployment schedules. We proposed 16 changes to their draft schedule 13 in the ALS system and 3 in the BLS system. In the ALS system it proposed changing shifts back to dual medic shifts to retain all current paramedics as paramedics. We also proposed 1 extra strike unit in east and west so that all areas will have 4 strike units. The proposed schedule will not require anyone to downgrade to an EMT or part time paramedic. . It was proposed these units would be switched to 1 and 1 by attrition in the future. Some we would like to see remain dual medic to help in Richmond when units are moved due to low levels. The 3 changes in the BLS deployment would create 6 more slots on 12 hour shifts in the BLS system and leaving two 8/40 schedules and one 10/50 schedules.

Also discussed at the “meet and confer” were a handful of other items. First it was discussed that all job shares will be dissolved. After the rebid people may submit paperwork for a job share that will be reviewed by management. Job shares in the future will be watched for appropriateness and need. Job shares will not be allowed so that an employee can work full time at another job or look for employment and will have to physically work an appropriate number of shifts to maintain the job share. Also discussed was the issue of scholarships and transferring. Leslie did agree to let people transfer to other counties if they are on a paramedic scholarship if there are spots open in another county an employee desires to work in. Keep in mind that at this point there are few spots, if any in Northern California AMR. The option is there for those that desire. Also if you are on a scholarship your 18 months requirement will begin as soon as you have your county accreditation. You will not have to wait till you are in a full time Paramedic position for the 18 months to begin.

AMR management now has 14 days to respond to the shop stewards proposed deployment schedule. Tentatively the meeting has been scheduled for Friday, this may change. Any questions please ask a shop steward. The talk of cuts of course raises a lot of stress for a large amount of people. We are fighting for everyone to retain their current job classifications. As for timelines for the rebid, it continues to be proposed that it be attached to the June 4th pay check with the rebid going into effect Sunday June 27th. The days of the actual rebid will be announced when they are scheduled.

Code 7s

The following was written by Bill Bower regarding the code 7 settlement.

As far as the code 7 I will try and explain. You probably are not going to like it.

We have 2 problems when it comes to the code 7 piece. One is the wording in the contract where it says "In whole or in part". Now I am told by the people who negotiated that contract that what the company is taking it to mean was not what was intended. I was not part of that negotiating committee so I have no idea. These types of things exist in every contract. If it was the other way around we would be doing the same thing to management and we have done so in the past. This one unfortuantely bites us in the ass. Secondly is a court decision that came from the California Supreme Court that works against us because we are paid for our meal periods. So in the short of it we pretty much are screwed. Espcially since AMR is pissed off at NEMSA for supporting Paramedics Plus in ALCO so they are not talking to NEMSA these days. We have not had a core labor management meeting in a few months and they refuse to set one up.

Talking with Talbot there was a point where he had an agreement ready to be signed by AMR which pretty much would have given us everything we wanted. But people kept coming up with different issues that required being looked into prior to management signing. Well they all turned out to be bogus with no merit. Just people coming up with stories. During that time the court decision came down so AMR pulled away from the agreement and thus we are now stuck with what we have.

So what it comes down to is this. If during your shift you have a period of time either 30 minutes or could be 2-15 minute periods where you are sitting at post that can be counted towards your code 7 and you will not be paid the extra hour. It does not matter where that post may have been or what the levels maybe at the time. Since we are being paid for our meal periods AMR is under no obligation to take you out of the system or make sure you are able to order at a restaurant and guarantee you get your food. Nor are they going to set a schedule for units to take their code 7. It is up to you to do so. Local management has been told by AMR's attorney to be reasonable in the application. They cannot count the first 30 minutes of you shift or the last 30 minutes of the shift. They are to divide the shift into blocks and use a reasonable time period when a crew would be expected to take their code 7.

What you need to do is on shifts where you are running all day and do not get a chance to get a code 7 because you never had a period where you sat at post any length of time you need to fill out the Kronos correction form. If they refuse to pay you the extra hour then you need to give it to a shop steward so we can look into the matter.