Company’s focuses on protecting patients and maintaining City’s 911 system stability.
(Seattle, WA) – Despite the strategic decision by the Teamsters Union to go on strike over the Christmas holiday, AMR is thankful for the dedicated and experienced caregivers who have changed their holiday plans and made a commitment to ensure patient care will not be jeopardized when Teamster members walk off the job. AMR’s number one priority during the strike will be to protect our patients and maintain the stability of the City’s 911 system and all the communities we serve within King County.
Temporary replacement personnel are already on scene and undertaking training in the Seattle and King County operations. This training includes instruction on local protocols and completing ride-alongs to become familiar with the geography and locations of hospitals and other facilities AMR serves. AMR will have over 200 temporary replacement personnel who will be coordinating with SFD and other fire departments to service the areas’ 911 systems during any strike by the Teamsters Union.
The Teamsters have directed their members to initiate a work stoppage starting at noon on December 21, 2018. In their strike notice, the Teamsters stated their striking members will abandon patients who are not “in the process of being transported” and will “cease” responding to any emergency after they begin the strike.
In addition, all Teamster members have been directed by the Union’s leadership to drive their ambulances back to AMR’s operations simultaneously, which will delay AMR’s replacement crews from regaining custody of ambulances and equipment from the striking Teamster members. However, AMR has plans in place to work with local hospitals and fire departments to ensure patients are not left unattended and will move as quickly as possible to place resources back into service.
AMR wants to be absolutely clear that the company cannot agree to the Teamsters’ demand of more than a 60% wage increase for its members. The demanded wage increase is not sustainable with the current operational agreement for the City of Seattle basic life support contract. A Teamsters labor strike will not change this fact. AMR offered up to a 25% pay increase that will make the top step EMT wage $27.85 an hour at the end of the three year contract and place our wages well above any other private operator in the area.
The last offer AMR presented to the Teamsters will be withdrawn as of 12:01 p.m. on December 20, 2018. AMR will also immediately begin a recruiting campaign in the King County area for EMTs seeking to join our team under the last wage structure offered to the Teamsters.
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About American Medical Response
American Medical Response, Inc., America’s leading provider of medical transportation, provides services in 40 states and the District of Columbia. More than 28,000 AMR paramedics, EMTs, RNs and other professionals work together to transport more than 4.8 million patients nationwide each year in critical, emergency and non-emergency situations. AMR also provides fire services through Rural Metro Fire Department, www.ruralmetrofire.com, and managed transportation services through Access2Care, www.access2care.net. AMR is a subsidiary of Global Medical Response, www.GlobalMedicalResponse.com. For more information about AMR, visit www.amr.net and follow American Medical Response on Facebook @AMR_Social on Twitter and Instagram.