AMR Workers Say 'No' to Contract

Employees at American Medical Response, a company that provides emergency medical technicians to several Northern California counties, rejected a contract offer Sunday night, raising the possibility of a strike if further negotiations fail.

The negotiations will continue into August, said AMR spokesman Jason Sorrick.

"This is just a normal part of our negotiations," he said. "By all accounts, we should be able to reach an agreement (soon)."

The National Emergency Services Association, which has at least 2,500 employees working for AMR in 19 counties including Sacramento, Yolo, Placer, Alameda and Santa Clara, voted down the contract by a narrow eight-vote margin (433-425), according to association President Torren Colcord.

"We are hopeful that AMR will come up with a substantially improved contract in the near future," said Colcord. He said if a new contract is not approved, the union can choose to strike. It would be required to give AMR at least 10 days' notice.

The proposed contract offered salary increases that varied between 10 percent and 19 percent, but Colcord said the major disagreement concerns changes in employees' health care coverage.

"The change was too quick and too foreign," said Colcord.

He said the change included a shift from an HMO to a preferred service provider plan. To accommodate some of the higher costs for employees associated with the change, AMR would reimburse workers for up to $500 a year in medical expenses.

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