Under New Contracts: EMS Unions Ratify Big Longevity Gains

Under New Contracts
EMS Unions Ratify Big Longevity Gains


The city's four-year contract deals with the unions representing Emergency Medical Service workers and officers have been overwhelmingly approved by members, according to vote tallies released May 24. The contracts reached with District Council 37 Local 2507, representing Emergency Medical Technicians and Paramedics, and DC 37 Local 3621, representing EMS Officers, used productivity savings to significantly boost longevity payments for veteran employees.

PATRICK J. BAHNKEN: Strong member response.

Senior Staff Does Best

The resulting gains, according to Local 2507 President Patrick J. Bahnken, ranged from 8.21 percent for those with less than seven years on the job to 16.78 percent for 20-year veterans.

Nearly two-thirds of eligible members participated in the ratification vote, with 1,538 in favor and 89 against. It was the largest voter turnout in the history of the union, Mr. Bahnken said.

Thomas Eppinger, the president of Local 3621, said he had almost 100-percent turnout among the 411 eligible members of his union. More than 90 percent voted to approve the contract, he reported.

Following the pattern of attrition-based deals that have been the norm in this round of bargaining, the union agreed to lower the starting pay for future hires to $27,250, down from $28,900.

The most significant change in the contract outside of wages to offset the cost of the boosts in longevity payments related to vacation time and how it is accrued. Previously, EMS employees saw their annual leave days jump from 15 to 20 after four years of service and then to 25 after their seventh year of service.

Those increases have now been stretched so the leap to 20 days comes after five years' service, and the subsequent jump to 25 days' vacation is delayed until after the 13th year of service. The increase to 27 days, which used to occur after 14 years' service, now comes after members complete their 20th year.

As part of the deal, both EMS unions agreed to support legislation that would make EMT and Paramedic recertification a five-year requirement. That change will help reduce EMS's staffing needs because replacement workers for members going through recertification will be needed less frequently.

Members were willing to accept these concessions because of increases in longevity pay that Mr. Bahnken said would also ease the EMS Bureau's retention problem.

Longevity Payouts

Members with at least seven years' service get a $2,070 longevity payment. Until now, the first differential they received for service, known as a recurring increment payment, didn't take effect until an employee completed 10 years with EMS.

The RIP continues in effect and was increased under the contract from $1,169 as of June 30, 2002 to $1,265 by the end of this contract for EMTs and Paramedics. Lieutenants and Captains, who get the same longevity payment beginning after seven years' service, will have their RIP boosted from $1,387 to $1,516 by the end of the deal.

Additional $600 boosts to the longevity differential will come after 15 and 20 years on the job. There had been an $800 longevity differential for 15-year veterans, and that will continue for those already receiving it but will not be paid to those who reached that tenure after April 1 of this year.