EHS workers suffering mental anguish as new company steps in

Workers told Sunday Newsday that they must reapply for their jobs with the new company and work longer hours for less pay.

Last week they received letters informing them that their positions would no longer be "recognised" under the SWRHA because the EHSTT has been handed over to GMRTT.

According to the correspondence which workers received, GMRTT is a joint venture between Amalgamated Security Services Ltd and Global Medical Response (GMR), a subsidiary of American Medical Response "the largest EMS ambulance operations in North America." The statement also stated that Amalgamated had the majority stock in the company while GMR will be responsible for "day to day" management operations.

It said the contract from the Ministry of Health was to provide ambulance service only to TT.

An Emergency Medical Technician told Sunday Newsday, "I have to reapply for the job I am doing right now and the way they sound they might not take everyone. People are not sure what their situation is. It is frustrating applying for a job I already have."

He said workers had to do over their medical tests and get a certificate of character.

Workers have been notified that they would no longer have a fixed salary.

"With the SWRHA we had a basic salary and allowances (eg food, uniform). Now they want to pay us by the hour as if we were security guards." A rate of $22.40 has been offered.

GMRTT has told workers that the number of bases would be reduced to nine. The plan is to locate bases where there is the highest number of calls. There are approximately 12 bases across the country.

He said the roster had also been changed. Under the SWRHA, Emergency Medical Technicians worked 14-15 days monthly. They were rostered on 12-hour shifts and could work four 12-hour shifts a week. However, he said they would have to work in cycles of 12-hour shifts for two days with one day off. He said not once was the word "guarantee" mentioned with reference to work hours. "We are not getting much confidence, and some of us have been there from the start."

Another worker said the new management had been "diplomatic" but the message was "take it or leave it." She said there was no guarantee those who reapplied would get the positions they had.

Based on the hourly rate of pay she said, workers’ salaries would not be constant.

She said GMRTT would officially take over operations on October 1.

Health Minister John Rahael said GMRTT’s contract was for three years. He said workers should not have any worry since they had the training for the jobs. He said there was an "understanding" that the provider would take the "majority if not all" of the workers. Rahael said the tendering process went through the Central Tenders Board. He could not say "off hand" how much GMRTT was being paid.