More Disgusting disrespect From Gordon Campbell?
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Submitted by tmrinas on Sat, 02/05/2009 - 4:49pm.
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Posts: 127
Joined: 01-08-2007 |
Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE)-BC May 01, 2009 19:50 ET VERNON, BRITISH COLUMBIA--(Marketwire - May 1, 2009) - Premier Gordon Campbell tossed a loonie at a striking ambulance paramedic Wednesday and told him, "Here, don't spend it all in one place." The unidentified paramedic answered, "Thanks a lot, that's half an hour's pay for me." BC Ambulance Paramedics get only $2/hr for on-call standby. The remarks came after paramedics confronted Campbell outside a BC Liberal candidate's office in Vernon with questions about their meagre pay rates. Campbell has said they are "already well paid...". Paramedics have been showing up wherever Campbell does to push for government action to get a mediator and return to the bargaining table. Paramedics say they feel a growing lack of respect from the government and while Campbell claimed he has "been meeting with paramedics all over the province", they were barred from protesting outside the Kelowna hotel where a Liberal rally was held Wednesday evening. The 3,500 paramedics, members of CUPE 873, have been calling on the BC government to deal with the "critical condition" of the ambulance service. They have been on strike since April 1 for improved staffing levels and better response times, wage parity with other emergency responders in B.C. and a multi-year contract for stability and public confidence. A meeting yesterday of Health Services Minister George Abbott and Ambulance Paramedics of BC president John Strohmaier yielded few new results. Strohmaier reported that the minister still refused to discuss specific monetary issues and continues to drag his feet on a mediator. "There seems no question that this dispute will end up in arbitration before it is settled," Strohmaier said, adding, "The sooner we begin the process the better - for the public and for our members." |
Joined: 06-05-2007
Brings to mind Ralph Klein throwing change at a homeless man and telling him to "get a job". Glad to know the Premier sees Paramedics that way. Unbelievable.
Joined: 23-12-2006
another sign of just how arrogant, disrespectful and out of touch the BC Liberals are with the needs of the people that live and work here. The only people that matter to Gordon Campbell and the BC Liberals (and that includes Bill Bennett) are big business and the people who donate the most to their party.
I hope everyone that is supporting the BC liberals in any way shape or form realizes these disgusting facts about this government.
I have faith that the real people of BC will be voting this government out on May 12th. I cant stand even 9 more days of this!
Snow Valley News - Fernie News, Blogs, Forums and Classifieds
Joined: 01-08-2007
If you live in the East Kootenays after 5pm your family may be at risk. The regional management of the BC Ambulance Service has made NEW operational changes that sends that local ambulance that was once dedicated to your community away to other communities, like Calgary, Cranbrook, Creston and Trail.
Will that dedicated 90 second ambulance, you were promised be there when you need it? The answer is more than likely NO. Back up ambulances are available once they are paged out and get dressed then travel to the station. You will be lucky to have a minimum 10 to 15 minute response to your emergency.
http://www.saveourparamedics.com/
Through years of under funding and neglect, BCAS has gone from a world leader in pre-hospital emergency care, to a system in peril.
http://www.saveourparamedics.com/writemla.php
Find out what the issues are in the Kootenay's
http://www.saveourparamedics.com/regions.php#koot
Please get involved and show your support as a community in risk.
http://www.saveourparamedics.com/involved.php
http://www.adventuresourcetours.com
Joined: 06-03-2007
[quote=sanook].
I hope everyone that is supporting the BC liberals in any way shape or form realizes these disgusting facts about this government.
I have faith that the real people of BC will be voting this government out on May 12th. I cant stand even 9 more days of this![/quote]
Every government party has many things I don't like about them. This time around the NDP has more....I consider liberal the less of the 2 evils. Bill B has done more for our area than Erda Walsh and Anne Edwards did combined.
I guess the 'real' people see things differently.... oh well that's why we have a democracy. Don't worry sanook the next 4 years will go quick with Bill driving the boat. Think of all the controversy you and Casey will be able create. Should be good for a few more million out of the sierra club to go out and slay your dragons.
Joined: 18-04-2009
Here is what happened... Heading into a recent event, the Premier stopped to talk with frontline workers and was asked by someone if he had any change. Without hesitating, the Premier handed the person some change and continued into his event. It was a friendly exchange. Both the Premier and the Paramedics were joking. People there laughed.
Premier Campbell has made it a point to meet with and talk to Paramedics during the campaign, and has been credited with taking the time to talk to those front line workers at every opportunity. So has George Abbott.
Negotiations are ongoing with the paramedics. It is clear that someone has decided to exploit that interaction to create conflict during these labour negotiations, and that is unfortunate.
It should be noted that the head of the paramedics met the premier in the parking lot later that day. There was no concern whatsoever raised about the earlier interaction.
Joined: 26-10-2006
Looks like a BCAS problem more than anything else.
Joined: 01-08-2007
[quote=MoeMan]Here is what happened... Heading into a recent event, the Premier stopped to talk with frontline workers and was asked by someone if he had any change. Without hesitating, the Premier handed the person some change and continued into his event. It was a friendly exchange. Both the Premier and the Paramedics were joking. People there laughed.
Premier Campbell has made it a point to meet with and talk to Paramedics during the campaign, and has been credited with taking the time to talk to those front line workers at every opportunity. So has George Abbott.
Negotiations are ongoing with the paramedics. It is clear that someone has decided to exploit that interaction to create conflict during these labour negotiations, and that is unfortunate.
It should be noted that the head of the paramedics met the premier in the parking lot later that day. There was no concern whatsoever raised about the earlier interaction.
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There are zero negotiations going on with Paramedics. Gordon Campbell and Abbott refuse to acknowledge the paramedics request for an unbiased mediator (Vince Ready)
He also refused to talk to Paramedics when he was in Cranbrook and actually had members who were part of his party and invited to hear him speak removed from the building and searched.
http://www.adventuresourcetours.com
Joined: 18-04-2009
Negotiations ARE ongoing... there are no talks during the election... obviously. The paramedics were advised prior to the writ period that there would be no talks during the election for obvious reasons.
I was at the event in Cranbrook standing right by the two paramedics who came inside... I think guy’s name was Martin??… I could be wrong but I am pretty good with names.
No one was searched and at no time were they forcibly removed from the rally... why do you make these things up? It makes your cause look worse??
Joined: 23-12-2006
Why haven't the Liberals resolved this over the past 8 years? This is not a new issue. Check back on Travis' posts on this site to see how far this goes back.
I wonder why they let this drag on and on only to have it become an election issue. I guess they just don't care.
Snow Valley News - Fernie News, Blogs, Forums and Classifieds
Joined: 18-04-2009
I can’t speak to the past eight years... I am not familiar with what happened during that time… all I know is that the paramedics were not forcibly removed… and no one was searched. To state such things when they never occurred is ridiculous.