SAN DIEGO - The union representing employees of Falck in San Diego has filed a grievance against the ambulance operator over mandated overtime.
After Falck USA was again fined by the City of San Diego for slow ambulance response times, the company informed its workers it would require them to work one to two extra shifts per month to make up for the staffing shortage and help meet response times under the contract. Tony Sorci, President of San Diego Association of Pre-Hospital Professionals, tells NBC 7 the problem is much bigger.
“It’s not about a paramedic shortage,” said Sorci. “It's about a lack of competitiveness to recruit, hire and retain paramedics."
While the company offers full time paramedics a sign on bonus of $12,000, the union says other EMS providers in the area are paying two dollars more per hour. Falck says the pay is not the problem, it's employees who want to change their schedules and get more time off.
Photo: Eddie McCoven