The city’s life savers — paramedics and EMTs — are in full panic mode over a controversial plan that will force them to pay a $15 congestion toll just to drive to their jobs in Manhattan.
An emergency worker union president is warning the congestion pricing plan, set to take effect as soon as May, will make hiring EMS workers in the city more difficult and ultimately increase response times in some of the Big Apple’s busiest neighborhoods.
More than 400 ambulance workers are assigned to three FDNY Emergency Service stations south of 60th Street in the congestion pricing district, said Oren Barzilay, president of the Local 2507 union representing paramedics, emergency medical technicians and fire inspectors.
Because of low pay and high housing costs in and around New York City, many EMS employees commute from their homes throughout lower-cost exurbs of Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Long Island and the northern New York suburbs — instead of taking less convenient mass transit, he said.
Meanwhile, the unions representing EMS workers are among the few that haven’t secured a new labor contract with Mayor Eric Adams’ administration and EMTs and paramedics are some of the lowest paid among the city’s uniformed forces.
Currently, salaries for EMTs range from $39,386 to $59,534 after five years, while the salaries for medics start at $53,891 and max out at $75,872 after five years.
Now, they’ll have to pay about $4,000 extra per year to drive to their jobs in the new Manhattan toll district, Barzilay said.
“It’s an insult — a slap in the face,” he fumed.
“I have members who live 100 miles away in places where housing and cost of living is cheaper. They can’t afford to live in the city,” Barzilay said.
“Our EMS workers are the city’s life savers. They put their hands on people to save their lives. We bring the emergency room to New Yorkers’ homes. We bring people back from the dead every day,” Borzilay said.
“This is what my members get in return — a $15 toll! These aren’t just other drivers coming into the city. They are essential workers.”
He warned city taxpayers will end up suffering most.
“A $15 toll is going to cause a hiring problem of EMS workers for the city. I don’t think response times are going to be good in these neighborhoods in the congestion pricing zone,” Barzilay said.
“People are having to pay to go to work. They’re supposed to get paid to go to work.”
Three FDNY EMS ambulance stations are located in the congestion zone — at Bellevue hospital, on the Lower East Side and Chelsea. They are among the busiest stations in the city, which cover the Times Square business district and the downtown financial district.
30 comments:
No one will hold this regime accountable for the damage to the tax paying working class.
Nothing to see here but "progressive" politics.
Another tax cut for the rich will fix this.
Stinks of Sense of entitlement. What about other workers ?
STFU and pay the toll or transfer to another job.
What's next ?
We must have Tampons offered in men's bathrooms in a new woke policy too.
Just checking if you remembered that another tax cut for the rich will really help these patriots.
Has the government digitized the currency yet ?
No tolls for EMTs . Give them FREE PASSES 'cause their work IS ESSENTIAL.
Don't worry, the AIPAC employees in congress have a plan for that.
Send all taxpayer money to Israel to pay for free housing for Zionist settlers on stolen West Bank land. Is $100B enough for now?
With compliments of the US taxpayer.
This article is another attempt to deflect blame for high housing costs from the Wall Street hedge and private equity funds that now control the housing market.
If the corrupt politicians really wanted affordable housing, all they need to do is stop these corporate empires and foreign investors from buying up all the available housing, It's not complicated.
But the Murdoch empire instead wants to blame it on immigrants and congestion pricing.
Too convenient.
The same NY Post would do everything in its power to prevent "essential workers" from ever getting a pay rise.
Fascists will always side with their corporate overlords.
I guess they're supposed to ride their bicycles.
The mafia at it's most powerful moment was a playpen compared to the NY Dem0rAt cartels especially on the far "Woke" left.
Is this a war on the working tax paying middle class ?
It’s all part of the plan.
At the end of the day it all comes down to money
This is a Carbon tax. Pay it and shut up...
The rightwing war on the working class continues.
Anything and everything to crush capitalism, this forces people to accept a socialist society where all are equal and defendant on the government cradle to grave.
Moscow on the Hudson.
What's worse about all this is Mayor Adams, Albany lawmakers and the City Council are screwing their own people the worst and these black voters don't even realize what is going to happen to them and will vote to seat black social democrats again.
All of this free for all socialist shit and lawlessness is not sustainable.
What is going to happen when the free stuff runs out and these sucker voters go really hungry, unemployed and cant pay the bills.
---On top of this add around 500,000 illegals competing with them for all the same free stuff, with the same problem and no police or army to keep order.
At the current rate of really bad decisions and toxic socialist "experiments" New York City could be another El Salvador in as little as 6 months.
So the road to Hell is paved with good intentions. I just made that up.
Climate Change is such a big grift that just talking about it being a grift is enough to make you a victim of its grift. I bet 90% voted for the Dems that did this to them.
Elections and Unions have consequences....
So far, at least, the Sheeple seem unwilling to believe the good news, or to give the Biden administration any credit for saving the planet.
Cry me a river said...
75,872 after five years plus a Cadillac health benefits plan/pension not to mention tons of overtime, lots of vacation/holiday and sick days !
Joe Biden's America.....
Kititara, Are you paid by the response or by the hour? Is it in yuan or rubles?
@"75,872 after five years plus a Cadillac health benefits plan/pension"
What's the point that you are trying to make anyway? That regular Joe's need to put in lots of overtime just to make ends meet?
"Cadillac health benefits", I presume you mean health benefits that can actually cover some medical procedures thanks to the Corporate fleecing of American sheeple.
It amazes me how right-wing nuts go crazy when they see some blue collar employees make some extra money, the hard way, but have no problem when corporate CEO's rake in millions just because they grew up in the right family with the "correct breeding".
That's the Murdoch empire's brainwashing in action.
@"It’s all part of the plan."
What plan would that be? The Illuminati plan?
@ "But the Murdoch empire"
Please hide the eggnog....
I'd vote for Pizza Rat before I'd ever vote for a Democrat.
I'd vote for Pizza Rat before I'd ever vote for a Democrat.
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