After much deliberation, Unifor Local 13-59 which represents 54 paramedics in the city have agreed to enter into binding arbitration with the City to settle all outstanding contract issues.
The workers have been without a contract since March of 2017.
A strike had been set for the end of February but the City was successful in delaying strike action at that time by applying to the Ontario Labour Relations Board in having an Essential Services Agreement declared invalid.
An Essential Services Agreement determines acceptable levels of ambulance services that would be required in the event of a strike.
The Board after a hearing in April sided with the City on its position that current ambulance services are at a bare minimum level and went a step further by instructing the City to staff more ambulances on an on call basis.
In today’s union statement, President Laurie Lessard-Brown says she could not in her right mind ask the paramedics to reduce services to a point where there is the potential that any citizen could be seriously affected.
She adds it was the union’s wish to bargain a fair contract without leaving it up to an arbitraitor to impose a contract on them.