Crozer-Chester Paramedics Association ratified a new, 3-year contract

Thank you to CCPA's Bargaining Committee: David White, Rob Hamilton, Dave Marcantuno and Windsor Dalrymple. Additional thanks to Brian Gilmore, Fran Hildwine and Ed Matuliewich for their support throughout the negotiating process.

The 53 members of the Crozer-Chester Paramedics Association ratified a new, 3-year contract on Friday the 21st.  The new contract provides for raises ranging from 11.8% to over 22%, depending on seniority and step increases, over 3 years.  There is now a 20-year step on the pay scale -- by the end of the contract, both the 15 and 20 year steps will be above $25/hour.  The Negotiating Team also reached an agreement on a new weekend program for paramedics.  Weekend paramedics will work 2 12-hour shift every weekend, at a rate of $24/hour (plus all differentials), and will be eligible for full-time benefits.  The paramedics also negotiated an improved scheduling policy, and won new language that forbids the Hospital to change any element of the policy unilaterally.  Before any scheduling policy changes take place, the paramedics will be able to negotiate about the change and, if the members of the local are unhappy with what the Hospital intends to do, the union can block the policy change until an independent arbitrator rules that the scheduling policy change is necessary.  The contract was ratified by a vote of 40 to 7.