West Side Healthcare District will begin contract negotiations with a local UnitedSteel Workers union after its Board Of Directors unanimously approved the move on Tuesday.
Local Union TEMSA 12-911 is proposing to increase wages and benefits for its workers.
Fernie Mirelez, the union’s staff representative, said the union is made up of 1,400 individuals that work at 14 different occupations, 11 in Emergency Medical Services, two in care centers and one in hospital. The members work throughout the state from Northern California to Southern California. Mirelez said he represents roughly around 1,000 members from the union .
The union’s contract expired last year in September, but was later extended through March in an effort to get Measure A passed. The bond measure, which introduced a parcel tax of $69 per parcel to maintain and improve ambulance services, didn’t pass after not receiving a two-thirds support of the overall votes from Stanislaus and Merced counties in last year’s general election.
Given that the measure didn’t pass, the union agreed to extend its contract until the end of September this year to give the district time to develop a backup plan. Mirelez said the union generally does a three-year contract, but it depends on the district’s ability to stay viable for communities surrounding Newman, Gustine, Stevinson and Santa Nella.
“At the end of the day, the goal for the district and the workers is to provide this ambulance service to the members of the community,” he said. “And that’s why it was very unfortunate that the measure did not pass by the two-thirds needed.”
Additionally, Mirelez said one of the proposals that was agreed upon during the first discussion of a contract extension in Sept. 2024 was getting a 16% wage increase for full-time EMTs and paramedics.
In contract negotiations, when both parties' representatives come to a proposed contract, a ratification meeting is called among union members to discuss the agreement, Mirelez said. Following discussions between members, a majority vote will decide whether to agree on the new contract or reject it.
Mirelez said he anticipates a meeting with the district representatives will happen within the next month or two. For him, the most optimal outcome is getting agreement done by Sept. 30 and the worst outcome is negotiations continuing through October.
“It would be my goal to try to get a deal by the end of September, [but] If we need to extend that another month or so, I have no objections to that, as long as things are going well.” Mirelez said. “We don’t want workers here at West Side disgruntled over no wage increases and then leave the district for other EMT and paramedic positions with other providers that pay a higher wage.”
Mirelez said around seven years ago, the district was struggling to stay afloat financially. To help alleviate the situation, union workers took a 10% wage decrease for one year. After the 12 months, wages went back to their original rates.
With an agreement to begin negotiations with the union, the district will have three individuals as representatives during negotiations talks, none of which are board members.
Board of Directors’ President David Varnell said none of the board members should be involved during negotiations because it could be a conflict of interest. “We’re the ones that ultimately decide whatever they negotiate on and come up [with] whether we accept it or don’t accept it, so it could be a conflict,” he said.
The district’s spokespeople will speak with representatives from the California Employees Associations about how they should approach negotiations with the UnitedSteel Workers local union.
“I think before it’s all over with, it’ll be best for all of us [and] for them to get [done] because let’s face it, they need a raise too [because] cost of living has gone up on them,” Varnell said.
Navtej Hundal is a freelance reporter based in Stanislaus County.
