B.C. paramedics union says ambulances left unstaffed due to overtime policy [Video]

The union representing B.C. paramedics says the province’s new approach to overtime is leaving some ambulances unstaffed.

Ambulance Paramedics of B.C. spokesperson Ian Tait said B.C. Emergency Health Services has long relied on overtime to ensure shifts are filled.

He said the employer’s previous approach had been to pre-schedule those shifts, something it’s no longer doing.

“As of Jan. 1 they decided not to pre-schedule people into predictable vacancies and kind of go on a more day-to-day basis, where at the beginning of shift change at 6 a.m. they are panicking trying to cover the shifts,” he said.

“We’re noticing a significant increase in ambulances sitting empty, which is essentially translating into a front-line cut in services.”

Tait said on Saturday the White Rock station was staffed at 50 per cent of normal levels, while the Tri-Cities station was down by 25 per cent.

He said the end result is people with less urgent calls having to …