Lawrence Township settles EMT contract

Technicians had been without pact since 2002.

By: Lea Kahn
   Lawrence Township Council on Tuesday gave its stamp of approval to a three-year contract with the union that represents its four paid emergency medical technicians.
   The EMTs, who are represented by the Lawrence Professional Firefighters Association Local 3629B of the International Association of Firefighters, AFL-CIO, CLC, have been working without a contract since Dec. 31, 2002.
   Under the terms of the contract, which is retroactive, the four EMTs will receive pay increases of 3.25 percent for 2003, 2004 and 2005.
   The pay scale for EMTs for 2003 was $39,267 to $49,003. In 2004, the salary ranged from $40,543 to $50,596. For this year, the pay scale is $41,861 to $52,240.
   The union members will receive $250 toward the cost of an eye exam or new eyeglasses, Municipal Manager William Guhl said. They also received an increase in the clothing allowance, from $350 to $600 per year.
   "There is always something to be ironed out," union President Rick Evans said when he was asked why the contract negotiations were not settled earlier. However, the union members are pleased with the contract, he added.
   Mr. Evans said the issue of the clothing allowance was a minor sticking point, as well as the new schedules. Beginning this month, the paid EMTs are scheduled to work 6 a.m. to 7 p.m., seven days per week.
   Until Jan. 2, the paid EMTs worked from 6 a.m. to 7 p.m., Monday through Friday. The Lawrence Township First Aid and Rescue Squad’s volunteer EMTs responded in the evening and at all times on the weekends.
   "We were trying to understand how the new schedule would work," Mr. Evans said. But once the union members and the administration worked out the details, everything was fine, he said.
   Mr. Guhl noted that the EMTs will be paid overtime this year, because of the revised work schedule. The new schedule means they will occasionally work more than 40 hours in one week. They will be paid overtime for the extra hours, he said.