VANCOUVER—The CUPE 873 bargaining team is taking the government’s latest “settlement offer” to members across the province. Ambulance Paramedics of BC president John Strohmaier announced the tour today.

“The employer (BC Ambulance Service) has implied that our bargaining team and our executive don’t represent our members,” Strohmaier said, “so we have decided to consult directly with our 3,500 members on their latest proposal.” Strohmaier said the executive will be strongly recommending rejection of the offer, calling it “repugnant”.

VANCOUVER - Talks are back on between the Ambulance Paramedics of BC and the employer. The two bargaining committees will meet Tuesday in Vancouver with third-party mediator Mark Atkinson in attendance.

The development came Sunday following weekend discussions between CUPE 873, CUPE BC and the BC Ambulance Service.

At a Friday support rally for paramedics in Richmond, CUPE 873 president John Strohmaier directed members to work only their regularly scheduled shifts.

RICHMOND— BC ambulance paramedics will only work their regularly scheduled shifts at their assigned ambulance stations and their primary operators as of 6pm today. They say “it’s time to take action to protect our health and safety.”

The move follows claims by the BC Ambulance Service that there are no staffing shortages.

RICHMOND—CUPE national president Paul Moist and CUPE BC president Barry O’Neill will join close to 200 delegates from more than 50 CUPE K–12 locals at an historic inaugural meeting of a provincial K–12 Presidents’ Council. The meeting will be on September 18 and 19 at the Sheraton Vancouver Airport Hotel (formerly the Richmond Inn).

VANCOUVER — Ambulance Paramedics are holding a march and rally in Richmond tomorrow in the wake of stalled contract talks with the government. CUPE BC president Barry O’Neill said that “despite CUPE’s consistent efforts to resolve this dispute, the BC Ambulance Service rejected CUPE 873’s offer for settlement.”

CUPE National president Paul Moist, CUPE BC president Barry O’Neill and CUPE 873 president John Strohmaier will announce CUPE’s response to the government’s position outside the Richmond Olympic Oval at 12:30 pm Friday.

VANCOUVER—Representatives of 3,500 striking Ambulance Paramedics of BC, CUPE 873, have forwarded an offer for settlement to the BC Ambulance Service.

CUPE BC president Barry O’Neill said he is hopeful the offer will lead to a settlement in the protracted dispute, which began on April 1.

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VANCOUVER—Striking members of CUPE 873, B.C. ambulance paramedics, received a big boost in visibility and some much-needed support at yesterday’s Labour Day picnic in the Lower Mainland.

The annual BC Federation of Labour-sponsored event was moved this year from Confederation Park in Burnaby to Trout Lake Park in East Vancouver.

VICTORIA—The Provincial Budget announced today cuts jobs, reduces services for people who need them most, and continues the Liberal shift of the tax burden away from corporations and the wealthy onto the middle class, says the Canadian Union of Public Employees.

“The government can’t have it both ways,” says CUPE BC president Barry O’Neill.

VICTORIA—The Liberals ignored B.C.’s deteriorating ambulance service in today’s budget speech, despite the five-month-long strike by the province’s 3,500 paramedics for better services.

Ambulance Paramedics of BC president John Strohmaier called the government’s failure to address the crisis in the budget speech “another missed opportunity,” adding, “the BC Liberals keep saying they won’t intervene, but their failure to intervene is what is keeping us from a fair settlement.”

The paramedics have repeatedly asked the provincial government to appoint an independent mediator an

VANCOUVER—CUPE 825 president Maria Wahl and her team of walkers have once again topped a previous record for fundraising in the fight against Parkinson’s disease.

At this year’s annual walk for Parkinson’s held on Sunday (August 30) at Stanley Park, Wahl’s group totalled $18,160.00 in pledges.