HSAA member letter to CUPE President Calgary Paramedics

Friday, March 6, 2009

Dear Rick Fraser:

My name is Michael Marchuk EMT-P, I currently serve with Calgary Health Region Patient Transportation Services. I wish to comment on Rick Fraser's recent comments about other health care professions, namely massage therapists.

I found his recent comment very derogatory. As an HSAA member for over 14 years, I can tell you that by affiliating ourselves with the many other health care professions in the province of Alberta we have done very well.

I can also assure you that a massage therapist has never used my ambulance!

Rick Frasers comment should be retracted immediately, I found it very offensive. I take exception to the tactics I have been witnessing from CUPE's campaign to take over union management here in Alberta.

CUPE seems to be talking to the public and not the ambulance community through it's media campaign. Please remember, ultimately it is the ambulance community that has to support you, and based on what I've been seeing and hearing I would not support a move to CUPE from HSAA.

I would also like to mention that although I was not a member of Calgary EMS during the last negotiation, I have not forgotten that the Alberta government took away our right to strike and CUPE did little to stop it.

Thank You

Michael Marchuk
EMT-Paramedic of 20 years