Overtime for paramedics should be voluntary
Posted October 16, 2012 5:31 pm.
This article is more than 5 years old.
Some Toronto EMS paramedics have been refusing to work overtime, claiming they are grossly understaffed and being stretched thin, as first reported by CityNews on Oct 6.
They want the city to hire more paramedics instead of altering their schedules to make up for the shortfall.
ConnectedCity asked readers whether the work-to-rule job action could result in slower response times to emergencies, putting lives at risk.
The majority of those who responded say overtime should be voluntary.
OntarioFire tweeted that “Toronto paramedics are understaffed, the health care system is broken and most importantly OVERTIME IS VOLUNTARY NOT MANDATORY.”
Others including Paul Brown concurred: “People deserve a life and overtime should be an option.”
Zoewhittall tweeted: “The CITY is putting the public at risk, not medics who are overworked, under-appreciated, taken for granted.”
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