Emergency medical services workers at University Hospital in Newark, N.J., have ratified their first labor contract as a distinct collective bargaining unit represented by Teamsters Local 97.
The agreement covers 261 employees — including emergency medical technicians, paramedics, 911 dispatchers and call takers, transfer service operators, logistics technicians and emergency vehicle mechanics — according to a Dec. 19 union news release.
These workers were previously included under a broader Teamsters contract at the hospital. The new agreement is their first as an EMS-specific unit, a change that allows for more targeted representation in contract negotiations.
The contract includes “improved wages and benefits to account for the increased cost of living in the area, as well as better vacation and holiday pay,” according to the union.
“This success represents the culmination of years of advocacy, persistence and unity among generations of union stewards and members,” Maria Perez, president of Local 97, said in the release. “This is more than a contract. It’s recognition, respect and a new chapter in the proud history of Teamsters at University Hospital.”
University Hospital, based in Newark, provided the following statement to Becker’s:
“At University Hospital, we’re incredibly proud of our workforce and our partnership with labor to continue to support and grow one of the best EMS teams and systems in the nation. Our community deserves the highest quality care and that is what this new contract will help us continue to deliver.”
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