Ambulance union files complaint against city for alleged Taylor Law violation
Apparently, a quality organization like Mercy Flight taking over the ambulance service in the county and expressing a desire to hire all of the city ambulance employees isn't enough for union president Greg Ireland. He wants his pound of flesh, too.
The union has filed a "improper practices claim" against the city for an alleged Taylor Law violation in deciding to discontinue the city-backed ambulance service.
The claim is, the city has taken steps to "subcontract" the ambulance jobs by discontinuing the city service.
"Our stance hasn't changed," Ireland said Friday. "The city can't do what they're doing because of the Taylor Law. The city took the steps to change (ambulance service) without negotiating" with the union, he said.
Ireland said a change in ambulance service can't be made legally.
"And it's not going to be if we can help it," he said. "This could have been avoided but the city never approached us. It's too bad it's come to this."
Charlie Mallow said he doesn't believe there is a Taylor Law violation.
But are we to understand from Mallow that the city doesn't intend to sign a contract with Mercy Flight:
"It's something we've discontinued. We are not signing an agreement with whomever the county has selected," he said. "Unions file grievances. This makes it difficult to do what is fiscally prudent." (emphasis added)
So who will provide city ambulance service? Is the union tactic forcing the city into a position where it can't contract with Mercy Flight?
It looks like the fight isn't over. It's just move from one ring to another.