UMass EMTs plan rally next Tuesday

Courtesy Unionized emergency medical technicians are planning a rally to call for a new pay structure.

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UMass Memorial Health Care emergency medical technicians are organizing a rally at UMass Memorial Medical Center on Oct. 24 to voice their concerns with the hospital.

The paramedics have been working without a contract since July 30, the International Association of EMTs and Paramedics (IAEP) Local 95, Worcester EMS (WEMS) said in a press release Monday.

The planned rally comes after union leaders meet with the UMass team on Friday in an effort to come to an agreement.

According to the IAEP, staffing issues due to wage compression have overwhelmed the department and jeopardized patient safety.

In addition, new hires start at higher pay than some veteran paramedics, causing experienced workers to leave the department.

“A number of emergency calls have been passed to outside agencies as understaffed ambulances are left off the road,” IAEP said.

Last week, IAEP National Director Philip Petit said the union would like UMass Memorial to implement a pay scale based on tenure of service, similar to that of a teacher's union.

The IAEP is not considering a strike, Petit said.

UMass Memorial spokesman Anthony Berry declined to discuss the details of the ongoing negotiations last week.

"The Worcester EMS paramedics are a very important part of our UMass Memorial team. We greatly appreciate these first responders and respect the negotiating process, which includes a longstanding practice of not publicly discussing negotiations," Berry said in an email.