NIAGARA FALLS, ON – Paramedics conferencing in Niagara Falls today, voted unanimously to adopt a resolution setting strict conditions before they will endorse legislative changes soon expected to the rules governing the delivery of emergency services in Ontario. Newly elected Chair of the CUPE Ambulance Committee of Ontario (CACO) Jason Fraser said Ontario’s frontline paramedics…
WATERLOO, ON – Members of Local 5191 of the Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE 5191), representing emergency medical services workers in the Regional Municipality of Waterloo, have ratified a tentative agreement after two days of voting. The union will now await ratification of the agreement by Waterloo Regional Council, who are expected to make…
WATERLOO, ON – Local 5191 of the Canadian Union of Public Employees (Regional Municipality of Waterloo Emergency Medical Services) and the Region of Waterloo have mutually agreed to a media blackout, effective until further notice. Both parties are committed to continue working towards a collective agreement. – 30 – For more information, please contact: Matthew…
WATERLOO, ON – Region of Waterloo Council must address chronic understaffing of its Paramedic Services, according to Local 5191 of the Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE 5191) which represents the Region’s 220+ paramedics. “It’s a public safety issue,” says Chris Sutton, representative for CUPE 5191. “There are times when there are no ambulances readily…
TORONTO, ON — Diverting and triaging patients who call 911 for emergency medical care away from hospitals and allowing paramedics on firetrucks, instead of putting more ambulances and paramedics on the road, is fraught with risks, warn paramedics with the Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE) responding to an announcement today, by the Ontario Liberals to…
SUDBURY, ON — Even though it’s being characterized as a Greater Sudbury fire and paramedic services “optimization” plan, “meaningful dialogue about enhancing paramedic emergency medical care doesn’t seem to be on the radar. And it most certainly should be since ambulance call volumes have increased significantly and fire calls declined. In a medical emergency only…
February 08, 2017 Dear Minister Dr. Eric Hoskins: On December 19, 2016, a response to the Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care (MOHLTC) discussion paper entitled “Patients First – Expanding Medical Responses” was sent to your office, signed by both of us, on behalf of CUPE Ontario and CUPE Ontario’s Ambulance Coordinating Committee (CACO)…
MEMORANDUM TO: CUPE Ontario Paramedic Workers FROM: Jeff van Pelt, Chair CUPE Ambulance Committee of Ontario (CACO) DATE: December 9, 2016 RE: Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care (MOHLTC) Consultation Process on “Expanding Medical Responses Discussion Paper” On November 21, 2016 the MOHLTC issued a discussion paper entitled “Expanding Medical Responses Discussion Paper”. Stakeholders…
Dear Minister, As you are aware, Ontario paramedics are among the best trained, if not the best trained emergency first responders in the country. Each day paramedics across our province save many lives. It is highly unfortunate that a recent segment of CTV-W5 leaves viewers with a different impression, specifically that calling 911 is akin…
May 1 is the national day to recognize the important work of first responders including paramedics, communications officers, nurses and other health care staff. Tens of thousands of them are CUPE members. We want to commend and celebrate them all as “everyday heroes”. For us, it’s not just on First Responders’ Day but throughout the…
