Paramedics throughout the province are continuing their petition drive to have their jobs declared an essential service.

Dean Perry is organizing the Okanagan-Monashee drive and he said there is lots of public support for the paramedics.

The petition needs to collect 4,700 names within the riding before it can be presented to government and while Perry said they are well on their way to that figure, the more names they get the stronger the voice.

“What it would do is, if there's an impasse it would have to go to a third-party mediator,” said Perry.

Currently, if there is a labour dispute, the Province can declare the paramedics an essential service and order them back to work, but Perry said that does not guarantee there would be a binding arbitrator or mediator to settle the dispute.

“This will give us a little more clout to bargain with the government for paramedic issues, for ambulance issues,” said Perry.

The petition tables will be set up at the Polson Park Save On Foods Tuesday from noon until 6 p.m. and the Village Green Save On Foods Thursday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.