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Alstar union chair details concerns in wage issue

An urgency in care

Alstar EMS under the ownership of UPMC has refused to negotiate a competitive livable wage and is hurting Chautauqua County’s emergency medical services. March 6 was the last time they took part in a negotiation session. They have canceled four planned sessions since then.

At issue is in 2014, an EMT starting out was paid 31% over minimum wage, while starting paramedics were paid 70%. Now they start at 4% and 37% respectively. Of veteran providers, just under three-quarters of EMTs do not make 10% over minimum wage while two-thirds of paramedics make less than 50%. This trend cannot continue.

In 2014 Alstar EMS always had at least six paramedics and six EMTs on duty with peak times having more. As employees left to earn a livable wage the staffing levels slowly eroded. Now Alstar will often only have one or two paramedics on duty, and for hours at a time be completely unavailable to serve the community.

Adding to the strain on the EMS system, is how hospitals deliver services to our community compared to just a few years ago. For example, Westfield hospital and Lakeshore hospital have very few in-patient services. Most patients that go to their emergency department, that require admission, are now transferred to other hospitals. Usually in Erie or Buffalo, but sometimes Pittsburgh, Cleveland, and Rochester. Brooks and UPMC Chautauqua also transfer multiple patients a day. A patient is transferred elsewhere if they have suffered a Stroke, a Heart Attack, or a severe trauma. Alstar EMS is the only agency in the county that handles these transfers. However, hospitals have been calling on other paid agencies, from outside the county, to handle these when Alstar is unable to provide transport due to staffing levels. This causes prolonged delays in definitive care for these patients, potentially affecting their long-term prognosis and survivability.

In the city of Jamestown there has been an agreement since the 1980s that Alstar EMS will always keep at least one paramedic in the city to be available for calls. When the fire department must transport a patient the city bills Alstar. I do not believe this was a way for the city to make money but to encourage Alstar to stay in service. Since UPMC has taken ownership of Alstar EMS they appear to be treating this agreement as just another cost of doing business. They often leave the city without an available unit for hours at a time.

Management of Alstar EMS and UPMC blame Chautauqua County’s Emergency Management. They believe that our shortage is because the county has developed a paramedic fly car system and many paramedics have left Alstar and are now working for the county. The trouble is the county legislature has an obligation to the community and created this program out of necessity since Alstar is not meeting their obligations. While it is true that former employees now work for the county, many others have gone to EmergyCare in Erie, AMR in Buffalo, Gowanda Ambulance, Randolph Regional EMS, Cattaraugus Fire Department, and Mercy EMS in Springville and Batavia. Also, Dunkirk Fire department and Fredonia Fire department have both increased their staffing to meet the requirements of their communities and many former employees have gone to work for them. All these agencies, on average, pay $3 an hour more than Alstar does, some pay a lot more.

All taxpayers should worry. The county cannot simply hire Alstar’s staff and manage EMS services better. A majority of former Alstar providers have left the county and are no longer providing services to the community. If the legislature wants to fix this staffing issue, they will have to hire more providers. They will also have to pay the providers more than they do now to compete with the surrounding EMS agencies.

I believe the priority should be the patient and not corporate profit. UPMC, who owns Alstar EMS, must pay its employees a livable wage so our community does not suffer anymore. All my coworkers want to do this job, they love this job, but everybody needs a livable wage.

Joseph Snyder is a Service Employees International Union Local 200 United chairman and executive board member.

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