MERRIMAN: Toronto paramedics get the short end of the stick

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As a paramedic, it was very humbling to learn that through a recent public opinion poll, Canadians considered paramedics as their most respected occupation. As the representative for Toronto’s paramedics, I was deeply honoured by such recognition.

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These past two years of working through a deadly pandemic, whereby many paramedics contracted COVID-19, have been extremely challenging for my colleagues. Despite increased call volumes, staffing shortages, donning full personal protective equipment for every call, continually missing lunch breaks or breaks period, they quietly soldiered on.

Amidst great adversity, they continued to serve their patients with the greatest of dignity, respect, understanding and, above all, compassion.

I cannot begin to tell you how proud I am of them and the respect that I give them.

Given the aforementioned public opinion poll, obviously Canadians feel the same way and I thank you for this humbling recognition.

However, given the disparity between the recent contract negotiations amongst the three emergency services — police, fire and paramedics — paramedics, again, got the short end of the stick.

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Over five-year contracts, police attained 11.5%, fire 10.5% and paramedics 9.75%. Police and fire were able to achieve this without going to arbitration. Paramedics struggled to attain the 9.75% and it was made clear that if they wanted to achieve what police and fire got, they would have to take their chances in arbitration.

Paramedic negotiations took place during the height of the pandemic. While I have the utmost respect for my colleagues in police and fire for the work that they do, I believe it is fair to say that paramedics bore the brunt of the pandemic.

Dishearteningly, it begs the question why? Do we not have that same level of respect from the politicians that Canadians have shown us?

A few years back, paramedics finally received budgeting for dress uniforms. This budgeting did not allow for them all to be outfitted in one shot and came in yearly increments. Since that time, with attrition, we have had many new hires. There is no longer budgeting for them for dress uniforms.

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Police and fire have long since received dress uniforms from the day they start on the job. Like police and fire, paramedics are intensely proud of their profession. Not being able to display that pride through a dress uniform is just another example of such disheartening disparity.

I firmly believe that the mayor and city councillors have respect for their paramedics and the demanding work that they do. The question is, is that respect at the same level of police and fire?

With 50% of paramedic service funding coming from the provincial government, this same question needs to be asked of the premier.

With Toronto only having to absorb 50% of the cost of paramedics, we are good bang for the buck.

Paramedic services across the province have been chronically underfunded and understaffed for decades. Toronto went ten years without any new hires above attrition — despite an average yearly increase in call volume of 4.5%. That’s a 45% increase in workload for staff, leaving zero surge capacity in an already pushed-to-the-limit emergency service on the eve of a pandemic.

Despite this fact, Toronto’s paramedics have stepped up admirably. Doing what they love to do. Helping those in need and providing, arguably, the best prehospital care in the country.

Canadians have deemed paramedics as their most respected occupation. And now it’s time for the politicians to do the same.

— Mike Merriman is Paramedic Unit Chair for CUPE Local 416.