Dispatches from IAEP Organizing Director Dom Curcuruto
Last week, IAEP National Representative and Organizing Director Dom Curcuruto spent three days on the ground in Oakdale, California with members from Oak Valley EMS. Take an inside look into what the union is out there doing for you.
“My first day started with meeting Dave Hunter [Chief of Ambulance for Oak Valley EMS] in his office. We talked for a while about the state of the hospital and the ambulance service. It sounds like some of the directives he has enacted have overall turned the hospital into a profitable endeavor– so much so that they are hoping to reopen the ICU soon.”
“Once we drove back, we ended up at a station with Paramedic Rob Erskine and we were able to talk a bit about the collective bargaining agreement.There were two other crews there, and we were all able to talk and introduce ourselves a bit. Dave ended up pulling a bunch of units to our post so I could meet everyone and hand out my business card, as well as answer questions.”
“The next morning, Dave said he had some meetings to attend to and that I can ride with Rob if I wanted to. I took him up on the offer and we were immediately dispatched to a vehicle rollover with extrication. We transported the patient to the hospital and went back into service. We ran another call and ended up at Oak Valley, where I was able to meet up with Dave and talk to the ER staff.”
“Once we left, we went back over to the station to meet the incoming crews and talk with our scheduling staff member before she went home. We got her notes and wish list for what she would like in the CBA to fill the schedule and make life a little easier on her, as well as help the continuity of Oak Valley EMS.”
“I got a lot of work done on the road, from a termination case of an employee who was hostile toward his partners to an investigation meeting for a member in trouble at work. I represented the member as a steward, and he was very appreciative. I called it a day after a bit more meeting with the crews.”
“My third and final day was all business. Dave, Rob and I worked on the CBA to finally put it to bed. I left shortly after and went home. I gave out 20 business cards and probably left another 100 at various stations in the county.”
Comentarios