


It’s enough to make you sick!
New York City emergency medical technicians and paramedics will be paid less than app-based food delivery workers starting in 2025, according to the union representing the 4,000 ambulance workers.
Mayor Eric Adams recently announced that 60,000 delivery workers — who currently earn $7.09/hour on average — will earn at least $17.96 by next month and $19.96/hour by 2025.
The base pay for EMTs and paramedics is $18.94 per hour, said Oren Barzilay, head of Local 2507 representing ambulance EMTS and paramedics.
Currently, salaries for ambulance workers range from $39,386 and only rising to $59,534 after five years.
The contract for the ambulance workers expired last July while watching City Hall reach agreements providing multi-year, double-digit salary hikes and bonuses to 75% of the city workforce including teachers, police and firefighters, sanitation and other municipal employees. EMTS and paramedics work for the FDNY, as do firefighters.
Barzilay said medics shouldn’t be at the back of the line.
Local 3621, which represents EMS Officers, also is without a contract.
“The pay we get is insulting. We are the Big Apple’s street doctors. We bring the hospital to your home,” Borzilay told The Post. “We are life savers. We resuscitate people. We literally bring people back to life.”
When the EMS union endorsed Adams in the Democratic primary for mayor in June of 2021, Adams promised to address the pay disparity for the essential workers.
“Our EMTs, paramedics, and fire inspectors deserve our City’s thanks and respect, but for years they have been shamefully denied basic pay equity. As mayor, I will not stand for discrimination against workers, especially not the women and men who have put their lives at risk to save ours day after day,” Adams said when accepting the endorsement.
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Barzilay sent a letter to Adams and Consumer Affairs Commissioner Vilda Vera Mayuga Thursday to jump-start negotiations to boost raises and benefits.
“The insufficient and lower wage of FDNY EMS members sticks out like a sore thumb. Currently, FDNY EMTs saving lives every day, start at roughly $18.94 an hour, less than your new plan for fast food delivery drivers. Is the message that the city government values speedy delivery of bagels, fast food, and pizza, more than its medical professionals saving the lives of other New Yorkers?” Barzilay told the mayor.
He said job turnover in ambulance crews is “stratospheric” with 30% leaving after 3 years and 50% after five years, with wages 65% lower than at the NYPD.
Part of the hold-up is a dispute between the city and the EMS officers union over a new Sergeant-EMS job title in the current contract, according to the Chief Leader.
“It’s hard to move forward to get a new contract when you haven’t resolved issues from the last contract yet,” Vincent Variale, the head of the EMS officers union told the labor newspaper.
City Hall, via a statement from the FDNY, said it’s ready to negotiate a wage package with EMS ambulance workers.
“The FDNY’s Emergency Medical Service members are an integral part of our city, and they play a key role in maintaining public safety. We were pleased we were able to reach an agreement with the union in the last round of bargaining that addressed their needs and was overwhelmingly ratified,” said FDNY spokeswoman Amanda Farinacci.
“We look forward to negotiating an agreement for the new round of bargaining that provides fair compensation for the employees while remaining responsible to taxpayers, and our door is open to begin bargaining upon request by the union.”
Ironically, the fire department proposed increases in ambulance rates in February, citing inflation and increased salaries for EMS workers.
The bump for rides, from $900 to $1,385, or 54%, went into effect May 1.
It also raised the charge per mile for hospital trips to $20, up from $15.