Ambulance paramedics call off strike (1,000 workers 3 states)

Source: Fosters Daily

By JENNIFER KEEFE
Democrat Staff Writer

SOMERSWORTH — American Medical Response announced Sunday a tentative labor agreement was reached with employees in New Hampshire, eastern Massachusetts and Maine represented by the paramedics' union.

A strike of more than 1,000 workers was planned for today, initiated by National Emergency Services Association, or NEMSA, employees after AMR's lastt bargaining offer was a 1 percent reduction in pay and an increase in health insurance costs, according to Jim Gambone, labor relations for NEMSA.

NEMSA's former contract with AMR had step increases, which Gambone said averaged about 3 percent. This year, AMR proposed all employees would receive those step increases until January 2008, at which time the reduction would take place.

"A strike is imminent unless AMR makes some kind of change to their prior decision," Gambone said on Thursday.


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