Paramedics and health care workers vote 96% for strike action

VANCOUVER – CUPE 873 ambulance paramedics voted 96 per cent in favor of strike action along with the Hospital Employees’ Union and nine other unions representing 47,000 health care workers in British Columbia.  Negotiations for a new collective agreement broke off in March and resumed yesterday with mediator Vince Ready.

The last contract expired on March 31.  At issue are wages, employment security, benefits protection, improvements to health and safety and language changes around ambulance service.

The HEU represents about 85 per cent of the workers while CUPE 873 represents about 14 per cent.  

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