BCEHS proceeds with removal of wage guarantees for paramedics

For paramedics stationed at 39 urban and rural communities around British Columbia, the days of being guaranteed more than just $2 per hour for on-call shifts will soon be over.

Up until now, paramedics stationed in rural communities such as Oliver have been guaranteed four hours of pay per on-call shift at a regular pay rate, regardless of whether any calls come in.

For the rest of the shift, they would be compensated $2 per hour if no calls came in.

But $2 per hour will soon become the new normal, as BC Emergency Health Services (BCEHS) confirms it will phase out the "Kilo Guarantee" — four hours paid at regular rate — for 39 communities on June 1. 

Initially, BCEHS planned to phase out the Kilo Guarantee for those communities on April 3, but the change was further delayed till May 1 as they dealt with supporting staff through the COVID-19 pandemic. 

BCEHS confirmed in a memo sent to unit chiefs on May 19 that the change will take effect on Jun. 1. 

"In 39 of our urban and rural stations with higher call volumes, the Kilo guarantee will not be continuing, and shifts scheduled on June 1, 2020 onwards will revert to the Kilo call-out language in the collective agreement," reads the memo.

"The 92 rural and remote stations that have lower call volumes and are candidates to move to a scheduled on-call staffing model will continue to receive the Kilo guarantee until they transition to the new model."

It goes on to explain the Kilo Guarantee was an "interim solution" until the implementation of a new scheduled on-call model, which they are now resuming work on.

"BCEHS, together with CUPE 873, are working hard to maximize opportunities for our paramedics as part of a dynamic, integrated health sector ... the Kilo guarantee was originally introduced as an interim solution to help stabilize staffing in remote and rural communities and was intended to be replaced by a sustainable staffing model of regularized paramedic positions, during or before bargaining in 2019."

Earlier this year, Okanagan paramedic Juliet Kaczmarek shared her story with Castanet to voice her concerns over the change - concerns she says her colleagues share.

Kaczmarek lives in Kelowna but picked up a casual paramedic position in Oliver as there were no available positions for full time work in the city, and drives about 100 kilometres to be at the Oliver station for every on-call shift. 

The possibility of driving more than an hour to work, putting in a 12 hour shift with no calls and making only $24 is an injustice, particularly during a pandemic, Kaczmarek said. 

"To be compensated with $2 per hour awaiting a call is an injustice in my opinion, especially during a crisis like [COVID-19]," she said.

"I would just like to be compensated adequately ... paramedics risk their health and the health of their families the minute we put on our uniforms, go to work, and serve our communities during this crisis. Just as doctors and nurses are providing an essential service to combat the current pandemic, so too are paramedics."