Q&A
Discussion on EMT and EMS pay parity issues
1:44:36
·
128 sec
Council Member Carmen De La Rosa raises concerns about pay disparities for EMTs and EMS workers, emphasizing their critical role and the challenges in retaining this workforce. Daniel Pollak acknowledges ongoing negotiations but refrains from commenting on specifics.
- De La Rosa highlights the importance of EMT and EMS workers, especially during the pandemic
- OLR confirms they are in bargaining with the union representing EMS workers
- De La Rosa stresses the need for fair compensation to retain these essential workers
Lincoln Restler
1:44:36
and I
Vickie Paladino
1:44:36
know as
Carmen De La Rosa
1:44:37
a council, the Black Latino Asian Caucus and others have been talking about is the disparities that exist with the EMTs and the EMS.
1:44:51
Can you shed some light into some of the, conversations that are happening with that sector of the of the workforce that I know, you know, has ongoing negotiations, and there have been conversations around the pay parity issues.
1:45:06
Do you have any because that is a sector.
1:45:08
Right?
1:45:08
We've heard about the ambulance response times.
1:45:11
We've heard that the this is a sector of of the of the workforce that we can't retain.
1:45:16
I mean, they're the lowest paid, emergency services workers in our city.
1:45:21
Can you shed some light as to the conversations around EMT, EMS pay?
Daniel Pollak
1:45:26
So we are, in bargaining with the union representing EMS workers, and, our policy is not to comment on ongoing negotiations.
1:45:35
But, you know, we do we are engaged in bargaining.
1:45:37
We hope to reach a deal with them that's fair to them as well as the taxpayers.
Carmen De La Rosa
1:45:41
Okay.
1:45:41
I I just wanna then reiterate for the record, that it is so important.
1:45:45
This just like the 911 operators.
1:45:48
Right?
1:45:48
This is a sector of our workforce that we cannot afford to lose.
1:45:53
And when we're paying these workers who are supposed to be responding to us, I mean, these are the same workers that responded to calls your at the height of the pandemic, many of them getting sick as they responded to New Yorkers.
1:46:06
Right?
1:46:06
And now is the time for us to really take a look at this workforce and understand the value that they bring.
1:46:11
They're doing the work that no one else can do.
1:46:13
They're first of all, they're, you know, trained to do so, but, also, if you're ever at the on the receiving end of a of a call to an ambulance, you want to have your call responded to by a trained professional that is willing and able to do their job.
1:46:27
And this is the workforce that I have found in conversations with them.
1:46:31
They're willing and able to serve.
1:46:32
They just need to get paid, you know, in order to live in our continue to live in our city.
1:46:37
So I trust that collective bargaining will do its thing, and I and I just wanted to make sure we put a plug in for for those workers.
