Five Percent Raise For Emergency Dispatchers––

Standard Union Wage Contracts Set For Clerical Staff

By Dottie Evans

Town Financial Director Benjamin Spragg presented a summary cost analysis of four-year wage contracts awarded the town’s emergency telecommunicators at the Board of Selectmen’s June 2 meeting.

Standard union wage increases were awarded as follows to these two groups: 3.25 percent from 2002–2003 (for the current fiscal year about to end); 3.50 percent in 2003–2004; 3.25 percent during 2004–2005; and 3.50 percent during 2005–2006.

Upon implementation of the Emergency Medical Dispatch program now underway, emergency telecommunicators or phone dispatchers will receive a one-time five percent wage increase. This change from the union rate is a reflection of the heightened responsibility the emergency dispatchers will have after certification, since they might be giving life-saving medical advice over the phone.

“Police, fire, and ambulance phone dispatchers [known as emergency telecommunicators] must be certified to do their job,” First Selectman Herb Rosenthal said.

He added that Newtown was one of the first towns in the area to undertake the training program.

“It will take additional training because there are many emergencies that might arise, and the most critical time, medically, is often immediately before the paramedics arrive,” Mr Rosenthal said.

“It costs a lot to train them. It takes a certain kind of person to be able to do this job.”

For an emergency telecommunicator, the daily work environment might range from boring –– while answering routine calls or waiting for the phone to ring, to catastrophic –– while dealing with a suicidal caller, a fire already out of control, or some other immediate medical crisis.

“It’s a difficult job and the person must be able to rise to the occasion. Say you’ve got an oil truck rollover on Route 302, an infant that’s not breathing, or a police emergency,” Mr Rosenthal said.

It is important to pay these specialists adequately, he noted, because there is always the risk that they will leave for other, better-paying positions.

“When you train them you want to retain them,” he added.

Employees Will Give More Back For Health Benefits

The amount that emergency telecommunications and clerical staff will contribute for health insurance benefits will adhere to the following schedule: 2002–2003 will be $28 per pay period; 2003–2004 will be $30 per pay period; 2004–2005 will be $32 per pay period; and 2005–2006 will be $34.

Previously, employees contributed $18.50 per pay period.

“These are the kinds of increases we’re seeing in business, as well,” commented Selectman Bill Brimmer, after he heard the escalating schedule of give-backs.

The prescription drug maximum was increased to $1,000 from $500.

Other changes made in the contract were that evening and night differential pay was eliminated, uniforms were replaced by business casual, and the emergency telecommunicators would continue to work 12-hour shifts unless the on-call list failed to provide proper coverage.

“After the fourth time that the on-call list fails to provide proper coverage, the schedule for the emergency telecommunicators shall become eight-hour shifts as provided in the contract,” Mr Rosenthal said.