WADEMSA contract talks get 6 month extension

Shannon LeClair

Times Reporter 

 

Alberta Health Services has added a six-month extension to contract talks with the Wheatland and District Emergency Medical Service Association (WADEMSA) after firing Alberta Health Services (AHS) Vice-President Chris Mazurkewich on Sept. 10. The current contract extension was set to expire on Sept. 30.

On Sept. 13 Mazurkewich was supposed to have met with WADEMSA representatives, a meeting that had taken some time to put together. With the firing of five top AHS executives it is understandable why someone wasn’t available to replace Mazurkewich at the Sept. 13 meeting. 

“I have had contact with Alberta Health Services and they are committed to re-scheduling this meeting as promptly as possible and they are making themselves very accommodating to make that happen,” said Rob Witty, operations director for WADEMSA.

Witty said AHS basically told WADEMSA to set a meeting date and they will be there. Right now, Witty said, WADEMSA is trying to find the best time and date for everyone that should be involved in the meeting.

“I think we’ll be meeting again in the next few weeks. The hardest part right now is harvest is kind of in full gear and I know a couple of our board members are in the agricultural field,” said Witty.

Strathmore-Brooks MLA Jason Hale was outraged when he heard the news that an extension was being given to contract talks. 

“We need a decision now, it’s been going on for two years they’ve been trying to negotiate a new contract and AHS is not working with them on this contract. Enough is enough, it’s time to quit jerking WADEMSA’s chain, and let’s make a decision. We know what the best decision is and there’s no use for AHS continuing to delay it, we need them to sign WADEMSA’s contract,” said Hale. 

Hale has heard that in other areas AHS has waited a long amount of time and eventually that ambulance dispatch group couldn’t function anymore and then AHS would take them over. 

“My feeling is that’s what they’re trying to do with WADEMSA. It’s been two years, we’ve shown, WADEMSA has shown that they can run that ambulance service more efficient than AHS is running it and they can provide a better service than AHS is providing in some areas,” said Hale. 

“It’s very unfortunate that AHS is still trying to play those games.”

Witty declined a chance to comment on how the current negotiations are going but did say he is still optimistic that a good resolution can be found in the end.