The Ambulance Paramedics of B.C. said Friday it had reached an agreement in principle with the province after extensive negotiations.
The union represents about 6,000 of ambulance paramedics and emergency dispatchers in British Columbia.
The announcement came just days after the union said members had voted overwhelmingly in favour of strike action.
APBC said in late January that negotiations with the province were at an impasse and that members would vote on whether to authorize job action beginning Feb. 2.
It announced on Wednesday that 97 per cent of members had voted in favour of strike action.
It said workers would be in a legal strike position once an essential services order was in place.
The Health Employers Association of B.C. (HEABC) said on Wednesday the two sides had been engaged in several negotiation sessions over the past week.
“This is where we wanted to be,” says APBC President Jason Jackson in a statement. “Our members showed overwhelming unity with a 97 percent strike vote, and that solidarity directly helped bring all parties together to reach a deal.”
APBC said it was calling for meaningful improvements to mental health and wellness supports, benefits, wages, and training.
“We needed improvements that help us better care for the public and ensure proper support when our members are injured or struggling,” said Jackson.
APBC did not immediately provide details of the agreement. The union said it will tour the province to present the details to members and answer any questions before a ratification vote.
APBC communications director Ian Tait said the agreement includes an increased per-person amount for mental health and wellness supports, and improvements to evening and weekend premiums.
Tait said there will also be more training dollars to allow more emergency medical responders to increase their training level to become primary care paramedics.
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