By Namu Sampath
masslive.com
SPRINGFIELD, Mass. 鈥� Ambulance service American Medical Response and its unionized employees have come to a 鈥渢entative鈥� agreement, according to an emailed statement.
鈥淭he union has informed AMR it will now recommend the settlement to its membership for ratification,鈥� said Patrick Leonardo, regional director for AMR, which serves Springfield and Greenfield.
Earlier this week, the ambulance company held a press conference announcing its unionized employees planned to strike on Sunday, after disagreements over a which would have allowed members to refuse to respond to a call if other unions are on the picket line, 鈥渦nless they deem it life-threatening,鈥� Leonardo said.
Bryan Donovan, the union representative and president of Teamsters Local 404, said negotiators achieved 鈥渁 full complement of the employee鈥檚 concerns/demands, including an increase in wages, overtime/holdover language, and retro pay back to May 1st of 2024.鈥�
The new agreement includes 鈥減icket line language adapted from a Hartford AMR contract,鈥� which 鈥渇ollows the same protocols, and/or standards鈥� that comply with the state鈥檚 regulations, Donovan said in a statement.
According to the Massachusetts Department of Public Health, state regulations say EMS or paramedic personnel who refuse to work in the event of an emergency are at risk of losing their licenses, as it would violate the 鈥渟tatewide treatment protocols.鈥�
If the language hadn鈥檛 complied with the state, it 鈥漺ouldn鈥檛 have been accepted by the company or the Teamsters,鈥� Donovan said, explaining that regulations don鈥檛 vary much despite crossing state lines.
The unionized employees hope the new contract will be ratified the week after Thanksgiving, he said.
According to Leonardo鈥檚 statement Thursday afternoon, the strike will no longer be happening.
鈥淭he agreed-upon contract supports our employees and guarantees that residents continue to receive the vital care they depend on,鈥� Leonardo said.
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