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Fast food employees demanding raises to $15 an hour have spurred EMS workers to also seek better living wages. Paramedics from Raylan EMS service say they will go on strike if their pay is not raised to $20 an hour.
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics the average wage for a paramedic is $14.91 an hour. About nine cents less than what fast food workers are demanding.
Keep in mind Paramedics typically hold an associate’s degree, with thousands of hours of simulation and clinical training time.
Medic Art Mullen tells us this. “My brother dropped out of high school. He flips burgers for a living. Guy is so dumb they will not let him run the cash register, never gets people’s change right. He bitches he can’t live on his wage and is demanding a raise.”
According to Mullen he has student loans from getting his education. He also has credit card debt from buying materials not covered by student aid, such as study aids, and national registry testing fees that are separate from the degree program.
“I am a full time paramedic and making $13.85 an hour. I don’t live in mommy’s basement, I have real bills to pay. Why should professionals such as myself make less than someone like my loser brother?”
Mayor Avery Markham is not impressed. “Why would the ambulance drivers need to make so much? I always see them parked in some parking lot waiting for a call. If they want I am willing to talk about paying them a rate close to $20 an hour when they are hands-on with patients. But they will have to agree to dropping down to minimum wage when sitting post or sleeping at the firehouse.”
EMS union officials were outraged by the mayor calling paramedics “Ambulance Drivers”. They think a rise to $20 an hour will show the community a medic does everything an ER nurse and Doctor does, but in a smaller space moving at 55MPH.
