Alberta paramedics work 30,000 hours of OT every month, union says

Alberta’s paramedics are working thousands of hours of overtime every month, according to new data released by their union.

The Health Sciences Association of Alberta (HSAA) says documents it received from a freedom of information request reveal EMS personnel have worked more than 30,000 hours of overtime each month this year.

Overtime now accounts for roughly eight to 12 per cent of all hours worked by paramedics across the province, it adds.

The documents also show that Alberta Health Services (AHS) hasn’t filled its total funded hours for paramedics once in the last three years, something HSAA vice-president Leanne Alfaro says is unacceptable.

“Paramedics across Alberta are being pushed to their breaking point,” she said. “This is more than just picking up a few extra shifts. EMS in