Well... Well.... Well....... I hope all of you who voted for 250/IAEP are good professional employees who are never late, never have complaints from customers/co-workers, etc. You see, if you had done your research, you would have found that IAEP has bargained away arbitration rights on almost every single contract they have negotiated with AMR. Just talk to some of your co-workers who have transferred here from counties represented by IAEP. We had the choice of being represented by IAEP many years ago when we first decided to utilize union representation. There was a good reason why we didn't use them then and should not have them now. However, I am secure that I will be just fine! You see, I do my job and I do it well. All of you that have hidden under the blanket of union protections through arbitration....... well, I can only say, I hope you are happy working at one of our competitors for less than half of the money you make now. So GOOD-BYE DEADWEIGHTS!!!! Perhaps this will all work out for the best after all!
You make it sound like in order to do our job we need a union. You should come to work on time, and you should be professional, and you should treat your patients with respect... and most importantly, you should be a professional at all times, in all situations, everyday, in every encounter.. no matter what. You are here for the public, no mater what company or union you are a part of, and after that, the pay check. Whatever union you have doesn't, or shouldn't, dictate that you do your job to the best of your abilities everyday..
The union should protect you in the rare case that you do fudge up, or a situation or comment is taken out of context, or have an altercation. Not save your a$$ because you are a screw off. That is the one thing about unions that bothers me. There are some people who should not be in this field, and when they are let go, the union get's them their jobs back. If you drive unsafely, conduct yourself without professionalism, have a foul mouth, treat patients without dignity and respect no matter what.... you should be doing something else... but unfortunately, since the union must represent everyone equally, these people continue to plague us. But nothing is perfect and this is a PC/consevative world we live in. Don't get on your high and mighty and say there are no such people in your division. They are everywhere in every profession. I just happened to say it out loud.
I'm no fool, I know AMR and the games they play. They are a business, corporation, company. It comes with the job since we work for private ambulance. You have a union to keep them in line, make sure they treat you the way you should be treated, pay you on time, etc, etc. But never should the union that represents you be the level of which you do your job.. you should exceed that, prove your company wrong, never give them a chance to justify their treatment of you.
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"I have given my word to Amy, Aultum that if they get over 75 signatures that I will with drawl my petition. " Carlos 10/6 "I will not pull the petition. " Carlos 10/10
Dear Ethical, Despite your ironic and hipocritical name, I will respond to your post. We are not as stupid as you think. It is a well known fact that IAEP has in no way negiotated grievance and arbitration rights out of every single contract! I suggest you actually do something called "research", instead of just listening to NEMSA's one liner lies. We're over the lies and the mudslinging. We are ready to be a part of a REAL EMS only union. IAEP has an insane tract record for winning grievances and arbitrations. Just look at their red light violation tract record in Southern California, it is quite impressive. I think you know as well as me that IAEP has in no way given up arbitration and grievance rights in most of their contracts, so stop with the lying. Here's a little insite you may have not gotten, despite our CONSTANT efforts over the last month: STOP TRASHING IAEP/250! THE VOTE IS OVER! IF YOU HAD WANTED US TO VOTE FOR NEMSA, THEN YOU SHOULD HAVE MADE MORE OF AN EFFORT TO SELL NEMSA RATHER THEN TRASH THE OTHER ORGANIZATIONS! You see, despite what many of you had thought, we were not willing to vote for other representation just purely based on the fact that they weren't L250. Many of us also saw NEMSA's weakness come into play when they suddenly had some competition. The dark side of NEMSA came forth.... Their campaign consisted of purely talking sh*t! Most of us don't buy that, and we were disapointed. Here's another insite for you "ethical". Even if NEMSA could actually sell us some good reasons to vote for them, well we have seen such poor leadership, poor communications skills,horrible reasoning,poor cooperation, poor compassion, and a high level of erogance, agression, hostility and ignorance comming from everyone from the actual president, to the supporters, that it will be near impossible to reconsider them. If NEMSA cannot realize this as a fact, then it is a no wonder they did not win. But I guess it isn't a big deal that NEMSA just continues to blow off all these valid reasons because they are not going be our representation. Peace out ethical, Oh and by the way, the NEMSA supporters sure have done a good job of not posting their names after such lame and false posts like the one you did, I suggest you start posting your name. P.S. I also suggest you get some new "skills" like bike riding or grow a mustache if you want us to support NEMSA. -nate
As for the union protecting people that shouldn't be in the eyes of some, that is a slippery slope towards favoritism, cliques and corruption. However, I will say, that when it comes to truly troublesome employees who are a liability, routinely badly represent the workforce, or cause their fellow employees routine grief; the reason discipline often doesn't occur is that management doesn't cross their tee's and dot there i's, and tries to enforce discipline in a manner that would come back and bite good employees in the ass. I can't let that happen.
Is it ineptness on managements part, or a hope that an employee is getting so disliked they can sneak in a precedent that would have wide ramifications? I don't know.
But I do know, that the top post implies someone who will snitch and threaten jobs of people he doesn't like. Atta-boy.
-- Edited by Play with My Money at 10:13, 2004-09-13
This is nearly the exact verbiage that 02-SBRA-04 wrote on the NEMSA message board. Please look for yourselves.
I will admit there have been times when I have represented people that have done things that I wished they hadn't. Unfortunately, when you enter into an agreement with a union, and are a dues paying member, they must be afforded "fair and adequate representation" by that union. It is law. You accept this when you become a shop steward. Hopefully, you as a shop steward and a leader within your community, will help to get the problem rectified. As far as the most serious of allegations, ones that result in termination, it is management's job to justify their termination in front of an arbitrator, should that be the course. If it is a just termination, AMR or any other employer that has entered into an agreement with a union, should have no problems making their case. The aggrieved is allowed their day in court should the grounds be there for an appeal. The union, if it feels it does have a case on behalf of the aggrieved, must provide them with representation. If they do not provide them with fair and adequate representation, they can be sued by the aggrieved.
I made the same comments that ClearMySide (Amy?) made earlier. You should be prompt to work, you should strive to be the best EMT, at whatever level you are, that you can be. I have been a shop steward for years now and there are many many people that have never used the services of the shop steward because of disciplinary actions. Of course, I say that with a grimace because I have seen firsthand completely dishonest, inappropriate, and unsubstantiated disciplines come from management, thankfully none too recently. But setting those aside, it is a good idea, especially for younger EMT's, to use those people as role models. Funny, it seems that those people are the quiet ones, that show up and just do their job.
So Ethical, it isn't that difficult to do your job and do it well. If you need help, we are here to help you. Obviously it seems you have had problems with complaints and what not. Another avenue you may find appropriate is to look to your FTO's. In my county, these are hard-woring dedicated folks who act on behalf of both management and the field. Look to them for direction.
Thank you,
Rod Billings, Shop Steward, FTO, AMR CoCo Operations
Whatever union you have doesn't, or shouldn't, dictate that you do your job to the best of your abilities everyday.. 
