Fla. EMS Union Ratifies Labor Contract With County

Feb. 09--MANATEE -- Manatee County Emergency Medical Services workers have voted overwhelmingly in favor of a labor agreement with Manatee County government.

In an email sent to commissioners Tuesday afternoon, Robert Eschenfelder, chief assistant county attorney, notified commissioners of the news.

"The EMS union's chief negotiator informed me that the bargaining unit members have completed their voting process and have voted to ratify the agreement by a vote of 96 to 2," the email reads.

The agreement is expected to go before the commission for approval at its Feb. 23 meeting.

In early January, the International Association of EMTs and Paramedics Local 747, the Manatee County union, and Manatee County government reached an agreement on a contract. The agreement came after the union, which had been negotiating with the county since 2013, protested outside the county administrative building in November over the failed attempt to reach an agreement.

The Manatee County union protesters cited low wages, forced overtime and other workplace issues. More than 30 Manatee County EMS paramedics and their families participated in the protest.

After the agreement was reached in January, Ken Skaggs, national representative for IAEP, said the contract would be for three years.

"It is better than a 15 percent raise in year one, including wage adjustments for many EMTs and paramedics of the agency," Skaggs said. "It is going to vary on a case-by-case basis based on seniority. It covers nearly all the EMTs and paramedics with the exception of new hires that they already gave a wage adjustment as an incentive to recruit."

Claire Aronson, Manatee County reporter, can be reached at 941-745-7024. Follow her on Twitter@Claire_Aronson.

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