American Medical Response, union trade charges over delays

Michelle Swafford

Friday, June 25, 2004 | 10:46 a.m.

Union-supporting American Medical Response paramedics and emergency medical technicians confronted their managers Thursday morning, accusing them of failing to cooperate in negotiating a union contract over the past two years.

About 30 AMR employees approached managers of AMR to demand that they set dates to begin contract negotiations. The majority of the paramedics and emergency-medical technicians voted on May 22, 2002, to be represented by the Service Employees International Union Local 1107, but do not have a contract because of stalled negotiations.

AMR says it is waiting for the union to set up a meeting, while the union says it is waiting on AMR.

Wednesday morning, AMR union members carried oversized calendars with almost every day of July and August circled, including Saturdays and Sundays, to signify their willingness to meet with management to discuss health insurance, wages and retirement benefits. They also provided a petition with 170 signatures asking management to stop stalling and start negotiating.

The group asked to speak with Gerry Hart, director of operations for AMR's southwest division, to set dates for contract negotiations, but were told by Roy Carroll, AMR's operations manager locally, that Hart was in meetings.

Hart said the SEIU rally "was somewhat of a silly stunt" and said that AMR is ready and willing to negotiate any time. A meeting date has not been set.

"We've been at the negotiating table for months," Hart said.

AMR and the SEIU met on March 30 and 31, but could not agree on the negotiation terms. The SEIU represents AMR in some other markets including California, Rhode Island and Massachusetts.

"They abruptly walked out on March 31 and did not set future negotiating dates," Hart said. "We're not stalling at all. They're the ones who walked out. We've sent letters for dates to get back together."

"Our position is that our employees have a voice and they have a choice and we'll respect whatever it is they choose," Hart said.

AMR paramedic Sue Johnston said the rally strengthened the SEIU's position within her company.

"My impressions today were we absolutely have the upper hand in what we're doing," Johnston said.

Some of the issues AMR employees want addressed are higher base pay and a change in how merit raises are granted, Johnston said.

"It's something we have to fight for every year," she said.

Johnston said she and her colleagues also want a pension plan instead of a 401(k) so employees' retirement funds aren't subject to stock market gyrations.

She said the company's health insurance plan is also inadequate, compared with what other AMR offices across the country have.

"We are the only AMR company that is not represented by Blue Cross Blue Shield," Johnston said. "We are the only ones that have Health Plan of Nevada (and) we have the basic package."

The SEIU Local 1107 filed charges with the National Labor Relations Board's Las Vegas office on April 2, alleging AMR refused to bargain in good faith because it withheld requested company information and asserted that the union had to agree to "untenable ground rules prior to any exchange of proposals."

Hart said AMR's legal counsel has responded to the charges.

Mike Chavez, resident officer of the NLRB Las Vegas office, said the charges are still under investigation.

But some AMR employees filed a petition with the NLRB on Tuesday requesting the SEIU be decertified as the employees' bargaining agent. The petition will not be reviewed until the other investigation is concluded, Chavez said.

The SEIU represents nurses at University Medical Center, Desert Springs, Valley and Sunrise hospitals. It also represents technicians at Desert Springs Hospital and health employees at Clark County Health District.

There is an effort to unionize about 600 nurses at St. Rose Dominican Hospital's two campuses: Siena and Rose de Lima.

The election there has been postponed because the hospital was accused of coercing, intimidating and threatening nurses to influence their votes. The hospital agreed to a settlement that includes posting signs that it will not interfere with the election. Once the sign-posting period concludes, an election can be scheduled.

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