To our valued partners and community members:
None of the drivers involved in the accidents mentioned by the Times Union were working on mandatory overtime. In each case, the fatigue of the driver was attributable to the driver’s off-duty activities and failure to come to work adequately rested.
This year, Mohawk Ambulance has addressed these safety issues by proposing several safety enhancements, including shortening maximum shift hours, requiring employees to be fit for duty, and enhancing full-time employment. The Union, despite its public statements, has not fully accepted these safety proposals.
In 2016, UPSEU issued a statement encouraging its members to seek employment at Mohawk Ambulance and boasting that employees had “overwhelmingly voted in” the collective bargaining agreement with the Company. That agreement established the wage rates for employees and the maximum shift length an employee could work, and guaranteed eight hours of rest between shifts.
Mohawk Ambulance Service strives for the highest quality of patient care and safety and employee safety, and is willing to work with lawmakers and our healthcare partners on improving patient and employee safety.
James P. McPartlon, III
President, Mohawk Ambulance Service