CT Hunter’s Ambulance union threatens strike over stalled contract talks
In Connecticut, Petit said issues separating the two sides include mandatory overtime and related safety issues, as well as "crafting a fair wage offer."
Unionized employees of Meriden-based Hunter’s Ambulance ramped up the pressure Thursday in its contract negotiations with Hartford HealthCare, threatening the health system with a potential strike.
The warning comes less than a month after the members of Local 294 of the International Association of EMTs and Paramedics backed a no-confidence vote in the health system’s management. The vote came just days after paramedics, emergency medical technicians and dispatchers overwhelmingly rejected the latest contract offer.
“Our members spoke loudly and clearly by rejecting a recent tentative agreement between the parties and issuing a statement of no confidence in management,” IAEP National Director Philip Petit said in a statement. “Management simply is not hearing their workforce’s concerns.”
In an email, Petit said “We are preparing the workforce to begin the strike authorization process.”
Petit said the issues separating the two sides include mandatory overtime and related safety issues, as well as “crafting a fair wage offer.”
The union also is concerned about the health system’s growing 911 footprint with a contract with Southington. The expanding footprint “will mean thousands of new calls despite existing staffing concerns and worsening morale in the department,” Petit said.
Union members have been working without a contract since the end of 2021. Hartford HealthCare, the parent of Hartford Hospital and six others in Connecticut, purchased the ambulance service provider on June 1, 2021.
Last week, Petit said the most recent contract talks with the health system was close to the 50th bargaining session in trying to hammer out a new contract for more than 200 members of Local 294.
“On the one hand, management is telling our members that the work that they do is too important to their communities to leave their shifts open,” Petit said. “Then, on the other hand, they’re telling them that they shouldn’t expect a wage that reflects that level of importance or skill.”
Gary Havican, president of Hunter’s Ambulance, said Thursday the company offered the union an enhanced offer on June 15. The union has neither accepted the offer or presented a counterproposal.
“We do not understand why the union is talking about a work stoppage instead of focusing on reaching an agreement,” Havican said, in a statement.
Since a tentative agreement was rejected in May, Hunter’s has addressed each issue raised in the offer that was turned down. The recent enhanced offer, Havican said, includes “front-loaded” wage increases averaging 17.2% over four years.
Other benefits, Havican said, include lower deductibles on health benefits and extending them to regular, part-time employees. The enhanced offer also added employer-paid disability benefits, increasing employer 401(k) matches by 2% and supporting training.
“The latest proposal provides above-market wages and the most employee-friendly scheduling policies among Connecticut’s commercial EMS providers,” Havican said.
Hartford HealthCare also has invested more than $3 million in health, training and safety enhancements, including an upgraded communication platform and new medical equipment, benefiting employees and patients, Havican said.
Hunter’s Ambulance primarily serves Meriden, Berlin, Middlefield and Middletown. The ambulance provider also performs mutual aid backup in Wallingford, New Britain, Cromwell and Portland — and it has a fleet of about 30 ambulances.
Kenneth R. Gosselin can be reached at kgosselin@courant.com.