Monday, May 14, 2007

* Winnipeg’s PCPs left out of wage agreement

* Gwent, Wales police search for missing paramedic

* Queensland, Australia’s union nixes idea of independent EMS inquiry

CANADA NEWS

** PCPs were left out of the wage deal, but Winnipeg’s ICPs and ACPs will be getting a salary top-up soon, after winning additional concessions from the city. According to a press release put out by the Professional Paramedic Association of Winnipeg (PPAW/May 12), the organization accepted a Memorandum of Settlement by a vote of 75 per cent. The latest deal is subsequent to the recent binding arbitration settlement. Wage increments will be forthcoming for the two higher levels of practice. The agreement must still be passed by the City itself on May 16.

UNITED KINGDOM NEWS

* Police in Gwent, Wales are searching for a paramedic who went missing Thursday in Pontypool. The BBC (May 14) said Phillip Tottle, 40, had been visiting his parents at the time of his disappearance. Suffering from depression, he was on a leave of absence from work. Tottle’s brother Graeme said police and volunteers have been searching Pontypool mountain where Phillip enjoyed walking his dog.

AUSTRALIA NEWS

* Queensland’s ambulance union does not support an independent inquiry into the EMS service. That is the word from ABC (May 14) which quoted Miscellaneous Union spokesman Jason Dutton as saying he sees no need for one at the present time. Dutton, who admitted bullying by managers has been an issue in the past, said current concerns are centering on how response times are recorded. He said stats are now being kept on how often medics are pressured to record scene arrivals prior to actually being at the call. His comments come after the state’s opposition party called for an investigation by the Crime and Misconduct Commission. Politicos said along with bullying, student practitioners were often being left to run ambulance stations.