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Permalink Reply by Maria on July 29, 2007 at 6:54pm

The AMR strike from what I understand is only in the Boston area. I've spoken with the AMR folks in my city and we all agree it's terrible. Let's face it, EMS nationwide is not a highly paid profession. Most of us do it for the love of the job and the desire to help people. I find it a disgrace to our profession that they would strike and deprive the people of Boston the medical attention they deserve. Shame on AMR Boston.

Permalink Reply by Irons51 on August 1, 2007 at 8:12am

Well, Its a bit of a moot point now that the strike has been averted, but I think that NEMSA has done a hell of a job representing the AMR folks. Not only that but I'd say they were more than justified in calling for a strike. AMRs parent company (EMSC) has seen it's stock rise over 300%, and thier top managment has received bonuses in the tens of millions of dollars, yet the employees in the Northeast had not see a raise in 4 years! Managers in the Northeast division payed less for thier health insurance than the field people. AMR had just settled dozens of unfair labor charges only to commit more in the 30 days prior to the strike vote! Speaking of which, did you know that 92% of the employees voted in favor of the strike! 92%, that should tell you something right there. AMRs equipment and facilities had deteriorated to a such a degree that the state suspended it's license to operate just last year! AMR Northeast has a long history of taking an anti employee rights stance. I've seen it first hand as I used to work for them. It's about time someone stood up to them.

Yes, we all know that private sector EMS is not a highly paid profession. I think that the employees at AMR Northeast and the folks at NEMSA sould serve as an example! The pay, benifits, and working conditions will never improve until EMS providors decide to stand togther and fight for it. Ambulance company owners have been exploiting thier employees for decades. They get rich while we work with shoddy equipment, live in quarters that are bearly habitable, and get by from paycheck to paycheck while working at least two jobs!

I say bravo to NEMSA and the employees at AMR Northeast!