The California Legislature in 2012 has debated Assembly Bill 2389, a discriminatory anti-private EMS bill that would require, among other things, privately employed EMS providers to wear clear logo and insignia identifying them as a public “contractor”. The law would also change public contracting law and give special requirements for private ambulance companies. The bill is sponsored by the California Professional Firefighters union, an affiliate of IAFF (International Association of Firefighters).
In its public argumentation in favor of the bill, supporters have claimed that private EMS providers are unprofessional and a danger to the public and must be clearly identified so that the public can be protected from them.
Interestingly, the CA registered supporters of this bill (supporters must register with the state legislature to be official supporters) includes AFSCME, the American Federation of State, County, and Municipal Employees. At the same time, AFSCME’s struggling San Francisco Bay area local United EMS Workers ( UEMSW ) appears to be AFSCME’s attempt to gain a foothold in the unionization of private EMS workers.
NEMSA and IAEP ( International Association Of EMTs and Paramedics ) are both publicly opposed to the anti-private EMS legislation. NEMSA is affiliated with NAGE, the National Association of Government Employees and NAGE is also publicly opposed to the legislation.
Why is this important you may ask? This legislation is designed to do nothing more than discriminate against private EMS professionals. NEMSA and IAEP are both unions that represent private EMS professionals. So is UEMSW/AFSCME Local 4911. But only AFSCME supported the legislation.
So for private EMS professionals, when AFSCME comes knocking at your door claiming that they want to represent you, remember their support of CA AB 2389 and that AFSCME stood in support of discriminating against private EMS professionals and that supporters claimed private EMS workers would endanger the lives of citizens.