In a recent op-ed, former Brooklyn Borough President Eric Adams and a Council member have reiterated their call for the City to secure pay parity for Emergency Medical Services (EMS) workers.
Their advocacy comes in the wake of an earlier joint piece that highlighted the significant pay gaps faced by these essential workers.
Despite holding the power to effect change, Mayor Adams’ administration has been criticized for failing to advance salary negotiations that would adequately compensate EMS personnel for their critical roles.
The workforce, comprised largely of women and people of color, is experiencing severe undervaluation and underpayment for the lifesaving work they perform daily.
It’s high time, the advocates argue, for the City to provide a fair contract reflecting the worth of these workers.
Current low starting salaries hinder the City’s ability to recruit and retain EMS personnel, resulting in high attrition rates within the workforce.
Alarmingly, nearly 75% of EMS workers have less than five years of experience on the job.
Moreover, many current employees struggle financially due to inadequate wages, often resorting to second jobs just to make ends meet.
The personal connection of one of the advocates to the workforce adds a layer of urgency to their plea; their own daughter serves as an EMS worker.
The narrative that the City, home to over 8.5 million residents, can afford to underpay its first responders is increasingly deemed unreasonable.
Burnout and a diminishing workforce could lead to longer emergency response times, with potentially fatal implications as 911 calls continue to rise.
To stabilize the EMS workforce and ensure a dependable emergency response throughout the City, it is crucial for Mayor Adams to address pay disparities by negotiating a fair contract with the EMS workers.
As unionized employees, EMS workers rely on collective bargaining to achieve salary increases, a process that is currently under the control of the Mayor and the Office of Labor Relations (OLR).
Critics highlight that the Mayor’s administration has neglected to provide EMS Local 2507 with a new contract for the past three years, leaving EMTs and paramedics in a precarious situation.
Furthermore, the refusal from the Mayor’s Office of Labor Relations to recognize EMS as a uniformed service is viewed as a direct impediment to achieving parity with other first responders like police and firefighters.
This lack of acknowledgment deprives EMS workers of the compensation and benefits granted to their counterparts in uniform services.
Advocates stress that EMS workers are crucial for the health and safety of residents and the Council remains committed to fighting for their rights while exploring additional support measures.
Year after year, the Council has urged the Administration to enhance wages in response to the Mayor’s Preliminary Budget.
Recently, they advocated for the allocation of $50 million to begin addressing the longstanding salary disparities between EMS workers and their equivalents in both firefighting units and other major U.S. cities.
Despite continued inaction from Mayor Adams’ administration regarding a new contract for these vital workers, the Council has managed to secure $1 million to establish a program that offers mental health support for EMS personnel who contend with stressful situations regularly.
Last year also saw the passing of two laws that mandate the Fire Department of New York (FDNY) to provide both self-defense training and body armor to ensure the safety of EMS workers in the field.
The Council has continuously voiced their support, participated in rallies, and exercised their oversight capabilities.
Despite claims that misrepresent the Council’s role, they have leveraged all possible means, within their authority, to advocate for this critical workforce.
Ultimately, it falls to the Mayor to embrace his responsibilities to the City’s first responders.
Honoring EMS personnel requires equitable pay for their important labor, and many see it as disingenuous to label them as ‘heroes’ while their financial struggles persist.
Criticisms have been directed at Mayor Adams for allegedly avoiding direct solutions to the pressing issues at hand.
The opportunity for the Mayor to align his actions with supporting this indispensable workforce remains on the table, with the safety of New Yorkers hanging in the balance.
image source from：amny
