Transition....

NEMSA has been officially certified by the federal government as your labor representative and we have hit the ground running...


Shop Steward Nominations Have Occurred...

Ballots For Shop Steward Elections have been mailed to your homes.

We have already sent a letter to David Kuhn to schedule contract bargaining dates.

Coming in the next few weeks...

Shop Steward Elections will be complete and you will have local shop stewards and worksite leaders.

Shop Steward Training Will Occur for those elected as shop stewards.

Surveys will be given out to set bargaining priorities.

Meetings about various workplace issues will likely occur with management.


As for this website: Now that the campaign is over, this will be the last "Official" post from NEMSA on this web site. Once a local leadership team is elected and in place, if the workforce wants it then this website will be handed off to them. The internet is a great communication tool and this website may yet have a future.


Your Information:

NEMSA can be reached at 1-866-544-7398

The Labor Representative assigned to your region is: Jeff Misner


Congrats again Great Falls EMS Pro's.... Again, Welcome...

Waiting For Certification...

Just a quick update... NEMSA is waiting for the National Labor Relations Board To officially CERTIFY that NEMSA is your union representation.  We expect this will happen Mon-Wed of this week.

Again, Welcome To NEMSA!

You will see much more of us after certification.

NEMSA Wins!

Congratulations!  The EMS Professionals at GFES have chosen NEMSA over "no union"!  You are all to be congratulated for choosing to band together and join EMS Professionals around the USA!

What's Next?

NEMSA is proud to represent you!  The next few weeks will be weeks of transition.  Several legal processes as required by law will occur and we expect within 2 weeks the National Labor Relations Board will "Certify" NEMSA as your labor representative.  At this point, NEMSA will officially be your "union."

Time To Heal And Build Unity

Sun Tzu, an ancient chinese military general wrote an instructional text that translated into modern english is called "The Art Of War."  In it, he described a tactic which works even today.... Divide and Conquer...

David Kuhn is not a bad or evil man.  Neither is Vandersloot.  But they were not looking out for your interests, only their own.  They tried to buy your "no union" vote.  Now they will attempt to Divide You and Conquer your unity.  The reason is simple :  a people divided will not stand and with contract negotiations coming, division and infighting within your bargaining unit will lead to better results for GFES and worse results for YOU.

So now is the time to heal and start building unity.  The idea behind being a bargaining unit is that everybody is important, every voice must be heard, and that together you can find what matters and speak with one voice to your employer.

So welcome to the fold, NEMSA Great Falls...  we await the NLRB to certify NEMSA as your representative.  You have made a brave and noble decision to join NEMSA.  Welcome....

It's almost over... Vote on May 22nd!

It's almost over.  Remember to vote on May 22nd!

At NEMSA, we are proud of GFES EMS Professionals and look forward to the fine people at Great Falls Emergency Services joining NEMSA as we continue to transform EMS.

From soup to nuts, NEMSA knows EMS because NEMSA IS EMS.  From members in individual shops around the USA to shop stewards to chief shop stewards to labor representatives to Regional Directors to Board of Director Officers to President, every role is filled by someone experienced in EMS.

Even our Law Firm is run by a lawyer who was a Paramedic.  

I am the mystery blogger. My name is Jason and I have worked in EMS for 15 years as an EMT and Paramedic.  I now serve EMS Professionals around the great United States of America working for NEMSA.  It has been an honor to type these messages over the past few weeks to you.

NEMSA is run by and for its membership.  NEMSA is you, us... everyone who works in EMS.  Each one of us has a different story, a unique set of talents, and a personal history that makes NEMSA work.  NEMSA is built from the ground up and relies on that strength to provide the best possible representation to all of our members.  Strength Through Service, Strength Through Unity.  

NEMSA works because of all of us.  Please vote for NEMSA on May 22nd and join US.

We are strong together, apart we are weak and frail.  Join US!

P.S.  I look forward to Friday when I can say "Welcome To NEMSA!"

Hypocrisy?

Something that nobody at NEMSA has been able to get their heads around is this glaring hypocrisy on the part of David Kuhn and GFES.

On one hand, with every fiber of their being Kuhn and Vandersloot want you to vote NO UNION. They don't want to have a contract with employees or give you rights. They don't even want a business agreement with their employees. They simply don't want employees to have any input in any issue.

On the other hand... They desperately want a contract, a business agreement with the City of Great Falls. They want an exclusive contract and are willing to allow the city to have input in many issues to make that happen.

It doesn't make sense and it's simply hypocritical...

Kuhn and Vandersloot are still working the soft sale. They have tried every possible way to sway your vote to NO UNION. They have visited your homes and "gotten to know you." They have shown all the great changes that are going to happen if only you vote NO UNION.

Why are they fighting so hard against you having legal rights? Why are they fighting tooth and nail to keep you from joining NEMSA?

We at NEMSA believe that is why you should vote YES to NEMSA. Kuhn and Vandersloot paid you NO attention, fixed NO problems, and did not CARE about you before you became interested in NEMSA. They may not have been aware of all of the problems initially and may be trying to fix some, but they sure claim they care now... notice how their caring comes at a price?

Let's face it... Beneath the smiles, kindness, and gentle behavior is something else.... they are not evil or bad, but they are not looking out for YOUR interests... they are looking out for THEIR OWN interests.

If they were looking out for YOU they would have encouraged you to join NEMSA!

Vote NEMSA on May 22nd! No union..... NO WAY!

A Letter From A NEMSA Member To GFES EMS Profesionals

Dear Fellow EMS Worker

If you are anything like me, you work in EMS because you take pride in caring for people.  In an ideal world, we would work our shifts with a minimum of interference and collect a paycheck that reflects our considerable knowledge and skill.  But the sober reality is that the business interest of our employers often stand in direct competition with the interests of the labor force.  As in many industries, EMS professionals rely on the strength of unions to ensure fair treatment and compensation in the workplace.

When NEMSA first came to my county I actively campaigned against them during a long and contentious election.  I was extremely wary of a new, unproven labor union who's numbers could not match those of older, larger umbrella labor organizations.

Ultimately, my group got outvoted and I had to choose to join NEMSA or be left behind.  But what I wasn't prepared for was how incredibly exciting it would be to participate in the process of building a core of worker solidarity from the ground up.  I watched as our numbers swelled, from a few hundred people in a handful of bargaining units to over 5500 across the nation.  I witnessed NEMSA gain strength and experience as it negotiated impressive contracts all over the country.

In spring of 2008, I had the privilege of representing my county alongside 21 other chief stewards in a wildly successful round of contract negotiations for our bargaining unit.  The negotiations resulted in one of the best EMS contracts in the United States.  It was a profoundly empowering experience and it instilled in my mind something that I should have realized all along:  NEMSA isn't an abstraction.  It isn't a faceless organization.  NEMSA is US, you and me and EMS workers all over the country who know that our greatest strength comes from the alliances we foster with one another.

I invite you to become part of the US.  I invite you to join NEMSA today.

In solidarity,

Megan McNamara

Chief Shop Steward, Santa Cruz County, CA

A Contract: A business agreement with GFES

All of this union talk can sometimes be confusing...

Maybe we can clarify a few things...

A collective bargaining agreement (CBA) or contract is the device used by NEMSA to work with your employer.  It is a legal and binding document that comes from negotiation and compromise with your employer.  It covers your wages, benefits, working conditions, and how to disagree in a respectful manner should a conflict arise.  

NEMSA has never driven an employer out of business with a contract.  NEMSA is YOU.  Your contract is YOU.  YOU decide with a member led team how to direct NEMSA Attorneys and staff in negotiating with your employer.  When NEMSA and your employer agree on everything presented, and it is ratified by vote of your bargaining unit, YOU have a contract.

A contract is a business agreement between NEMSA (your bargaining unit) and GFES.  The content is decided by YOU and GFES.  Terms, wages, benefits, etc.. are decided by YOU and GFES.  Seniority, scheduling, flexibility are decided by YOU and GFES.  

Contracts are truly a symbiotic thing.  Both sides need each other to survive.  It makes both sides work together for the common good.

A touching moment:  At the end of Northern California Contract Negotiations 2 weeks ago, the bargaining team went into the conference room where management representatives were and told them that "We have a contract."  They then proceeded to shake hands and hug members of management.  After 22 sessions, including some rather heated moments, both sides had reached a deal and had mutual respect and affection for each other.

Why does GFES fear a contract?

Employers who have never had a union contract before fear union contracts because they are forced to act consistently while under a contract.  They can't pay person X more than person Y just because.  They can't assign mandatory overtime outside of the rules agreed to.  They can't favor one employee over another.

Employers who have never had a union contract don't know what they are missing.  Predictability, accountability, mutual respect, a working relationship to solve problems all come from union contracts.

Contracts are business, not personal.  And GFES has a legal requirement to negotiate in good faith with NEMSA once elected.  

The EMS Professionals at GFES have nothing to fear from a union contract, and neither does GFES.  They just don't know it yet.

Vote for NEMSA and see what a NEMSA contract can do for you!

The "Soft" Sale

The Used Car Salesman

In the sales world, a common technique used when trying to sell something is called a "Soft" sale.  A soft sale is when the person selling something tries to be overly gentle and polite, hoping that you will trust their sincerity and good intentions.  It is a sales technique because the salesman still is trying to extract as much money from you as possible.

 

GFES owners Kuhn and Vandersloot with the help of the expensive Seattle based union busting law firm have tried to do the same thing... only instead of money, they want to get a no union vote from you.

"Give Us 10 Months" and "We didn't realize how bad things were" are part of that soft sell.  "We will make things better", "I promise we will do better", "I promise things will get better", " We didn't know about all these problems" etc...

Don't they sound shocked and saddened?  Don't they deserve another chance?  Should you buy what they are selling because they are being genuine and kind?

When you look beyond the soft sell, you see the truth... the truth is that GFES is AFRAID of you voting for NEMSA!  They have invested time, effort, and considerable money to prove to you that you don't need NEMSA.  

That is why you do need NEMSA...  Will you buy the used car they are selling?  Or will you stand with your co-workers and choose a new path, a path that recognizes you as EMS professionals, a path that allows you to stand on equal footing with your employer and be treated fairly....  

Vote NEMSA!  You decide on May 22nd!   If you vote No, maybe Vandersloot will throw in fuzzy dice for the rearview mirror too!

The Playbook.... Strikes and Labor Actions

Another chapter of the Employer playbook is about Strikes and Labor Actions.  Intentionally misleading employees about how unions operate is standard practice.  Again the question has to be asked, why is GFES so afraid of NEMSA?  

Employers will commonly make claims like:

"Unions love to strike" and "If or when you are forced to strike" or "The union will make you strike" are common deceptive tactics straight out of the playbook...

The employer will treat unions like their only purpose is to strike and your life will be ruined by it.

The truth is quite different.  Unions in general hardly ever strike.  Media reports of striking unions are rare.  Unions exist to better the lives of members by negotiating labor contracts, a form of business agreement with employers.  Only in very rare circumstances are strikes ever used.  A strike is a weapon of mass destruction and is a weapon of last resort in a labor dispute.

But GFES will continue to pound you with "strike talk"

So let's examine labor actions and strikes in depth....

GFES will have a duty required by law to negotiate in good faith with NEMSA.  NEMSA will have the same duty to negotiate in good faith with GFES.  A contract is a business agreement backed by law between employer and employees (collectively in a group such as a NEMSA shop).  Negotiation is simply that... negotiation ... It is not "gimme gimme gimme" nor is it "I won't give, I won't give, I won't give".  It is compromise and an agreement between employer and employees, GFES and NEMSA.

Should negotiations break down before a contract is settled, NEMSA commonly uses the help of Federal Mediators to work things out with employers.  These are provided free of charge by the Federal Government as a method of avoiding work actions and strikes by providing a neutral third party to try to work with both parties to reach an agreement.

Most labor contracts nationwide are settled through negotiation and mediation.  

Should both negotiation and mediation fail to help the parties reach an agreement there are several legal steps both parties can take to try to reach an agreement or give employees an offer to vote on.  

This is another reason NEMSA is different... NEMSA's bylaws prohibit NEMSA from accepting a contract on your behalf... contracts must be voted on by YOU, the members...  You also may place a strike authorization up for a vote and vote yes or no if you believe that a strike or labor actions against GFES are necessary.

But it is YOUR choice.  NEMSA can not force you to do anything!  You vote, you decide!

Strikes seem scary but they seldom happen.  The entire negotiation and mediation process is designed to avoid strikes.   

Use Your Voice.... Use Your Vote..... It's YOUR destiny....

Vote NEMSA on May 22nd!

The Playbook.... Union Dues

GFES Says:  "You can't afford to pay union dues"  Straight from the Playbook....

Other employers have said the same things, but also tried a few tricks....

Examples of Employer Tricks

• Giving you two checks on payday, one is real, one is a phony check with dues taken out of it.  Employers will claim that unions take out huge sums per paycheck in dues.  NEMSA dues are low and average about $30 per month.
• Passing out a mock check that shows how much dues you will pay as a group each year.
• Bringing in a basket of groceries with a label: "This is what you can buy with one year of union dues."

So instead of tricks and deceptions, let's have a talk about union dues....

NEMSA believes that YOU CAN'T AFFORD TO NOT HAVE A UNION.  The improvements in pay and benefits which you can only win with a strong union like NEMSA will more than offset the dues you pay, plus you'll get the improved treatment and respect that comes with a union contract.

As the old saying goes "You get what you pay for."  No organization can be effective without money to pay for services, supplies, and personnel.  NEMSA as a not-for-profit organization has strict controls on how it spends money.  The latest audit done on NEMSA continues to back up our behavior.  Approximately 98% of dues money returns directly to the members in the form of representation.

Remember that you will not pay any dues until you win a contract.  Then and ONLY then your dues will be calculated based on two times the hourly average wage for your bargaining unit.

Don't let GFES fool you about union dues.  You don't think twice about paying for your electricity, water, or cell phone bill.  These are all requirements to maintain your lifestyle.  

Become a NEMSA member and see what a NEMSA negotiated contract can do to your lifestyle.  NEMSA has the best EMS contracts in the USA.  Join us and see what we can do for you!

The Employer Playbook....

Yes, if you haven't seen it by now, GFES has a playbook.  It was given to them by Tom Fagg and the expensive union busting law firm that Kuhn and Vandersloot have hired.  The playbook is simple but effective..  it's how GFES intends to keep you from voting YES to NEMSA.

It's effective because it works... unless you are paying attention....

So here is the tested, tried, and true anti-union playbook... any of this seem familiar?

When workers organize, most employers will:

• Make Empty Threats and promises.
  
• Tell Lies about the union.
  
• Start floating rumors to discourage you.
  
• Refuse to have an open, honest debate so you can hear both sides of the story.
  

Most Employers will:

• Have Illegal closed door "private" meetings with employees and "counsel" them about their union decision.
  
• Illegally claim that if a union comes, employees will be lucky to keep what they have and will have to fight to ever get what they already have.
  
• Illegally claim that if a union comes, the business will be fundamentally changed and jobs may be in jeopardy.

Most Employers will:

• Claim that if a union comes, scheduling and work flexibility will be destroyed.
  
• Claim that a union will come between direct communication between employer and employee.
  
• Ask for another chance or a specific time (6 months, 1 year, etc..) to make things better
  

Most Employers will:

• Fix problems that employees are upset about.
  
• Address issues that they claim have nothing to do with the union acitivity, but that they never fixed before the union was mentioned.
  
• Do repairs and improvements on property, give bonus checks or other benefits to employees.
  

Now that's the playbook... in coming posts I will address some of the specifics...

Just when you think GFES will respect you and your decision, you may come to realize that GFES thinks you are a easy to manipulate pawn.  They will follow the playbook step by step and hope that you just won't pay attention and believe in their propaganda.

NEMSA believes you are an EMS Professional!  Vote NEMSA on May 22nd and show GFES that you don't buy what GFES is selling!

Local Politics... all politics is local....

Former Speaker of The House Of Representatives once said "All Politics is local".  That is how NEMSA works in the political arena.

NEMSA becomes a part of RFP processes, city council meetings, and meetings with government bodies.  Our influence is local because through community involvement, local business and community leaders, mayors and city councils, and politicians know YOU!

If you were on a city council, who would have more influence in talking about an ambulance staffing issue... a high powered laywer or lobbyist or a representative of NEMSA members who work and serve in your community?

I hope that these two political posts have answered the questions sent to me... NEMSA is different and NEMSA works...

Come Join Us and NEMSA will work for you.  Vote NEMSA on MaY 22!

Another Way NEMSA Is Different....Politics

One of the ways that NEMSA is different than other labor unions is how we address politics.  Teamsters, IAEP, SEIU, and others act as political fundraisers and support centers for national politicians, generally even if the members don't agree or wish to support a different candidate.

This political fundraising and support scheme actually undermines the purposes unions were created for... to help workers better their lives by collectively bargaining with employers to provide a contract that guarantees wages, benefits, and working conditions for employees.

Now this is not to say that having political influence is not important.  Rather it is to put into perspective how the "big tent" unions have abandoned their primary mission to represent workers in favor of playing politics.

NEMSA is a different kind of union.  We for instance will NOT endorse any of the following candidates for President.  Why?  Because we don't play political games.  Who you vote for is your business and NEMSA will not tell you how to think....

Presidential Candidate Senator John McCain
Presidential Candidate Senator Hillary Clinton
Presidential Candidate Senator Barack Obama

NEMSA does not give hardworking members dues money to politicians.  NEMSA has political clout, but we get it from a different source.  Rather than taking dues money and giving it to politicians like the "big tent" unions, we get involved in the community.  We draw a distinction between your employer and you.  As a NEMSA member, you will no longer be a GFES EMT or Paramedic.  You will be a NEMSA EMT or Paramedic working at GFES.

Community involvement is a great part of NEMSA.  Sponsoring Little League Teams, doing CPR classes, school supply drives, food drives, charity events.  All of these types of things show your community how important you are and what special people you are.

When contracts are negotiated and Kuhn and Vandersloot are getting calls from Mayors and Governors, community leaders and business owners because members of your community (some very influential) have called them, it puts additional pressure on GFES to negotiate a good contract for you.

The perfect example of this is at NEMSA Northeast.  This NEMSA unit works at AMR and covers towns and communities in Mass, Maine, and New Hampshire.  AMR had offered them an overall 1% pay cut during negotiations.  Outraged community members, Mayors, City Councils, and Governors all got involved contacting AMR and politicians.  

Senator Ted Kennedy Letter To AMR
Even US Senator Ted Kennedy got involved sending AMR a letter demanding the fair treatment of NEMSA members and a quick end to the labor dispute.   After receiving complaints and concerns from the communities he represents and being contacted by NEMSA, he wrote this letter.   The dispute did end quickly, with AMR offering an approximate 14% pay increase.  Members ratified the contract and thanked the communities that supported them.

That's how NEMSA works.  Vote for who you want this election, or any election. 

NEMSA works because of our members.  Community involvement is a powerful tool for bettering the lives of EMS workers.

Just Cause discipline, not "Just Cuz'"

Discipline at work... It's not something that anyone likes to think about, much less talk about.  And it's an area with a lot of misconceptions....

Perhaps we can clear up a few here...

First of all - it is not the place of any responsible labor union to get a person "out of trouble".  Instead, a labor union has a place in the discipline process in making sure that the process is fair and that laws and the contract are followed.  In short, unions make sure people are disciplined fairly.

The reason I mention this is to tell you about the concept of Just Cause Discipline...

Currently, GFES can discipline anyone "Just Cuz' ".  They are not bound by any standards other than state and federal laws.  And since no watchdog is around to remind GFES if it steps over the line or breaks the law, these State and Federal laws seldom are enforced.

Just Cause discipline is a major part of any union contract.  Just Cause discipline is essentially a legal standard that includes the concept of "Innocent until proven guilty" along with requirements for impartial investigation of alleged misconduct, an expectation that the employer has clearly communicated work rules to the employee, that the rules are reasonable and the consequences known for violating them, and that rules be applied consistently and fairly.

More Information about Just Cause discipline can be found at http://www.umass.edu/usa/justcause.htm

Just Cause Discipline is a standard that is applied to employers commonly in a union environment.  It is one of the many things NEMSA uses to keep employers accountable.

Lesson Over, Class Dismissed!  :-)

Your comments are welcome here...

Had a conversation with someone today about this blog...

This blog is run by NEMSA and all comments can be posted by name, user name, or by anonymous comment if you prefer.

I was told that many people are viewing this blog....  feel free to leave anonymous comments...  

Post your comments or questions, we welcome the discussion....

NEMSA

Details on Northern California Contract Agreement!

Here is a copy of the official Bargaining Team Statement.  This was written by the Northern California Bargaining Team after the tentative agreement was reached yesterday!

Now a few details for you.  The Northern California Bargaining Unit is the largest EMS bargaining unit in the country and has about 2500 people in it.  These NEMSA members are employed by AMR and cover Northern and Central California.  The bargaining unit is very united and stood with the bargaining team throughout negotiations.  AMR management saw a nearly completely united workforce speak with one voice about what they wanted.  

EVERY CONTRACT IS UNIQUE. EVERY NEGOTIATION IS DIFFERENT.  NO TWO ARE ALIKE.   THIS POST IS TO SHOW YOU WHAT NEMSA CAN DO! 

Negotiations and contracts are business deals, nothing more, nothing less.  So the business deal worked out with AMR in this contract includes:

4% cost of living adjustment Year 1

4.5% cost of living adjustment Year 2

4.0% cost of living adjustment Year 3

Seniority step increases of an average of 3.5% per step.  This means that as a person gains another year of seniority, they get another step increase.

Healthcare Premium Share of 90% Employer, 10% Employee

$500 per person (including family and dependents) in preventative healthcare per year free of charge!

A $1000 FSA debit card per employee in year 1 of the contract, $750 in years 2 and 3.

Family and Dependent Coverage goes to 85/15 almost immediately and 90/10 in the following year.

Vacation tops out at 6 weeks per year.

401K match $1 employee, $1 Employer up to 5%

A uniform cleaning allowance of $13 per paycheck given to employee...

and much much much more!

Northern California EMS Professionals and NEMSA members wanted to share with you what they have accomplished.  Your bargaining unit may be smaller but don't let size fool you.  NEMSA knows EMS because NEMSA is made up of EMS Professionals.  Standing together can make a difference!  

NEMSA makes no promise to you except this:  

NEMSA will provide you the absolute very best representation possible. 

Great Falls EMS Professionals deserve a union that can lift them up as professionals and has a proven track record.  NEMSA is that union.  Vote NEMSA!  

BREAKING NEWS: NEMSA Reaches Tentative Agreement in Northern California!

Details coming soon...

The NEMSA Northern California Bargaining Team has just reached a tentative agreement with AMR.  The agreement is one of the premier EMS contracts in the USA and NEMSA members are expected to ratify it.  

The agreement calls for:

A 3 year contract term

Cost of Living adjustments each year 

Step Increases based on years of service

A health plan premium share for individuals and families

An employer funded  debit card to offset healthcare expenses 

and much much more!

The NEMSA Northern California Bargaining Unit is the largest EMS bargaining unit in the USA covering 911 and non emergency transportation services for American Medical Response throughout Northern and Central California.

Detailed information will be available in the coming days at www.NEMSAUSA.org

NOTE:  When you see a cost of living adjustment and a years of service step increase, you must add them together.  For instance, a cost of living adjustment of 4% plus a step increase of 3.5% equals a total pay increase of 7.5%.  

Additional details will be made available soon..

How does a NEMSA shop work?

GFES and their union-busting law firm are trying to convince you that choosing NEMSA is a sure path to destruction.

They incorrectly claim that with NEMSA, you can't talk to management about anything, you lose flexibility in everything, and that you will be forced to strike.

What is next? The toilets won't flush and chewing gum will only be allowed to be spearmint flavored?

So instead of beating up on poor old GFES who is only thinking of your interests, here is how a typical NEMSA shop works... Your shop may be different in some ways but the typical shop works like this:

NEMSA is built from the ground up and is 100% EMS. NEMSA is a completely democratic organization. Should NEMSA be elected your representative, you and every employee as defined by the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) will become a NEMSA Bargaining Unit or Shop.

A bargaining unit or shop elects from amongst the workforce shop stewards who are then trained (free of charge) by NEMSA in how work as a union. The training is comprehensive and covers everything from professional behavior to Labor Law to contract enforcement, organizing to work rules. Shop stewards are the hands of your NEMSA shop. Every member of a NEMSA shop are the eyes and ears. Shop stewards bring problems to management with special training on how to solve problems. A Chief Shop Steward is chosen as a leader of a shop steward team.

The workforce and shop steward team are supported by a Labor Relations Representative assigned by NEMSA to your shop. They are also supported by National and Regional Office staff.

Your bargaining unit is part of many other bargaining units around the country, together all the members make up NEMSA.

When you have an issue or problem, you are always free to go to management. However shop stewards have specialized training in dealing with management and are the recomended choice, especially if your problem or issue involves the collective bargaining agreement (CBA) or contract.

New NEMSA shops prepare for contract bargaining by surveying members as to their wants, needs, and desires for items to be placed in the contract. Nothing is guaranteed but the information is used to form a proposal. A team is chosen from amongst your coworkers. The Labor Relations Representative and a NEMSA attorney are assigned to bargain with your employer with your member led team.

A NEMSA bargaining unit controls it's own destiny. Members can run for office locally or nationally, vote in elections and for contracts. Members can participate in scholarship programs, AFLAC disability insurance programs, and other member programs.

When a contract is bargained and the member led team agrees, a tentative agreement is sent to vote by the bargaining unit. The bargaining unit can vote to accept the contract or reject the contract. Should a strike authorization be on the ballot, the bargaining unit can vote to strike or not to strike.

The choice is truly yours. NEMSA is a democratic organization and does not force anyone to do anything they do not want to do. The idea behind collective bargaining is to speak collectively with an employer about wages, benefits, and working conditions.

Cost Comparisons...

A Recliner costs $500


A Gallon Of Paint Costs $17.95


A Contractor And General Repairs Cost $5000



Voting in NEMSA as your representative...... PRICELESS

A Relationship With Management

A Relationship With Management...

Involves Respect:  "When I was injured, GFES made me cover my own shift for months" - Anonymous GFES Employee

Involves Honor:  "My vacation was suddenly cancelled by GFES at the last minute, I had already paid for the plane tickets." - Anonymous GFES Employee

Involves Trust:  I have worked at GFES for 10 years and was promised a certain shift.  GFES gave it to a new employee."  - Anonymous GFES Employee

Now GFES says that NEMSA would prohibit a relationship between you and them?  WRONG

NEMSA contracts don't stop any relationship with your employer.  In fact, you are still free to go to your employer with any issue, comment, concern, or problem.  What NEMSA contracts do is give a framework including rules for dealing with some problems and issues.

What you get is certainty... and rules that your employer must follow.

The campaign to convince you that you are not EMS Professionals continues.  GFES is spending a lot of money and time trying to convince you that you don't want NEMSA.

Why do they fear NEMSA so much?  They break the law and trust that you will continue to cower in fear of them.

Do you want a relationship with management?  Choose NEMSA and see the difference.  

NEMSA Great Falls Website up...

We are still constructing it but the basics are there.  Much more content will be added in the next few days.  But we are happy to announce that the following website has been put on the Internet for EMS Professionals in Great Falls.

www.NEMSAGREATFALLS.com

It also is linked at the bottom of this blog...

also, a note...  we created this blog as a place for people to air their comments, concerns, and questions.  The comment area is designed for this.  So fire away with whatever you have, we'd love to continue our conversation with you....

Did you know...

Did You Know...

• There is NO law that any employer has to provide a health plan?


• There is NO law that any employer has to provide paid sick leave?


• There is NO law that any employer has to provide paid vacation?


• There is NO law that any employer has to provide paid holidays?


• There is NO law that any employer has to have a good reason to discipline or fire you?


• There is No Law that any employer has to recognize your years of faithful service?

Without a union, and a contract, GFES can pay you whatever they want, cut your benefits if they want, make you work whenever they want, cut your hours if they want, pay you extra if they want, and take extra pay away when they want. Without a union your years of experience don't matter and you are at the will of GFES in EVERY matter.

The word UNION starts with U!

Only by standing together and speaking with one clear voice to your employer can you better your lives. NEMSA provides the megaphone, but it is YOUR voice...

Give Us A Year?

In Fort Wayne, Indiana EMS Professionals gave their employer a year instead of joining a union..

Things were great for.... 3 MONTHS

After just three months of being non-union:

• The Employer doubled everyone's health insurance premiums!
  
• The Employer cut promised raises by more than 50%
• The employer disciplined people without Just Cause
• The Employer fired people for any reason and employees could do nothing.
• The Employer's managers constantly harrassed and intimated employees.
• The Supervisor gave preferential treatment to some employees and mandatory overtime to the people the supervisor didn't like.

Non-Union Employees then made an important decision... and became NEMSA Members!

No matter what GFES says today, it can be taken back tomorrow and there is NOTHING that non-union employees can do about it!

How long until Kuhn and Vandersloot allow things to return to "normal"?  

When GFES are union members, if GFES promises it, GFES has to keep their promise!  It's the law!

No Union?  ...  No Way!

Union Busting...

Allow us to re-introduce Mr. Fagg to you.  He was the "neutral observer" at the illegal mandatory meeting where GFES asked you to give them time to make things better.

Kuhn and Vandersloot have hired Davis, Grim, Payne, and Marra based in Seattle.  They can be found at www.dgpmlaw.com.  It's a union busting firm...

Here is an excerpt from their website:  Whether the challenge is renegotiating a labor contract to restore corporate profitability, responding to a union organizing drive, arbitrating contract grievances, litigating wrongful discharge suits, defending against discrimination suits, designing audit-ready Affirmative Action Programs, handling corporate legal affairs, or training supervisors and managers on the complex rules impacting the workplace,our specialists bring vast experience and a unique corporate perspective to these projects.  Davis, Grimm, Payne and Marra prides itself on an aggressive, ethical representation of it's corporate clients. 

Why are Kuhn and Vandersloot paying a high powered union busting law firm to get involved in your choice to form a union?

Why aren't they taking all that money and putting it towards wages, benefits, station improvements, etc...?

Why is NEMSA so feared by Kuhn and Vandersloot?

GFES is breaking the law!

The big meeting happened.  Mandatory meeting to ask you to "Give GFES a Year".  

Mr. Fagg (yes that is his name) from an expensive Union Busting firm in Seattle was there as an "observer."  Well, not really...  they actually played "Good Cop, Bad Cop" through the meeting..

But wait, wasn't Mr. Fagg saying that GFES could not say things because they would be breaking the law?

A few problems:

• Having a mandatory meeting to discuss and try to sway your vote is a violation of the law.  The National Labor Relations Act Section 8(a)(1) prohibits such meetings... GFES IS BREAKING THE LAW!
• Promising ANYTHING of value such as raises or better treatment to influence a N0 Union vote violates NLRA Section 8(a)(1).  GFES IS BREAKING THE LAW!
• Threats, Warnings, or Orders to refrain from protected union activity violate Section 8(a)(1).  GFES IS BREAKING THE LAW!
• The payment of back overtime hours in an attempt to influence a No Union vote violates Section 8(a)(1) of the NLRA.  GFES IS BREAKING THE LAW!
• The repair of stations and equipment in an attempt to influence a No Union vote violates NLRA Section 8(a)(1).  GFES IS BREAKING THE LAW!

What is so horrible about NEMSA that Kuhn and Vandersloot would violate Federal Law to keep NEMSA out of your workplace?

It's great that the owners are making changes and NEMSA is all for anything to better your working conditions.  However if any of these things have been done to try to sway your vote then GFES is breaking the law.

Do you think that all these things are happening out of the goodwill and charity of the owners?

The only true way to better your working conditions, wages, and benefits is to VOTE YES TO NEMSA REPRESENTATION!   

Welcome!

Welcome to a blog set up especially for Great Falls EMS Professionals.  Your co-workers after tiring of substandard working conditions, poor pay, and poor health benefits at Great Falls Emergency Services went out and looked for options.  They found NEMSA.

NEMSA is proud to represent the EMS Professionals in Great Falls.  The NLRB election to elect NEMSA as your bargaining unit representative is May 22, 2008.  

Check back frequently to this Blog as we will address workplace issues and update information on this blog.  Don't forget to check out a website specifically for Great Falls EMS workers at www.NEMSAGREATFALLS.com.