Boston EMS Union President
suspended for voicing safety concerns
James Orsino, President of the Boston Police Patrolman’s Association-EMS Division has received discipline in the form of an unpaid suspension. His infraction? Advocating for the safety of the City’s EMTs & paramedics.
Orsino was educating the Deputy Superintendent in charge of field operations that EMS units were increasingly responding solo to calls which SHOULD have a police response and which the civilian police dispatchers refuse to send police units to. Dissatisfied with the Shift Commander’s response, President Orsino increased the volume of his voice and engaged in robust debate with the member of management. With the health & safety of his members in mind, Orsino used intemperate language and forceful expression to make his point.
The Deputy Superintendent did not approve of Orsino’s tone or choice of language and he filed a complaint with the department’s bureau of Professional Standards. The department decided President Orsino was not allowed to address one of their middle managers in such a way and they subsequently issued a discipline of suspension without pay. BIG MISTAKE!
As I’m sure you know, and as the Department SHOULD know, the National Labor Relations Act contemplates the issue of “Robust Debate” and establishes “The Equality Principle” where the usual master-servant relationship is replaced with a relationship between EQUAL OPPOSING PARTIES one advocating for the company, the other advocating for the union. The concept of robust debate is protected as concerted union activity and has been upheld in the past by the U.S. Supreme Court. In one ruling they defined robust debate as:
“Giving the Union license to use intemperate, abusive, or insulting language without fear of restraint or penalty if it believes such rhetoric to be an effective means to make its point.”
President Orsino’s actions clearly fall within the guidelines set forth by the NLRA, approved by the NLRB and upheld by the U.S. Supreme Court. Stay tuned for an update on the legal action taken by Orsino to fight this knee-jerk, emotional and illegal union bashing action.
It was just about Noon on April 27th 2011, Detroit M15 responded to a “Man Foaming at the mouth - Possible seizure” Paramedic Yalonda Web had no reason to expect what was about to happen to her when their pt turned out to be an extremely violent schizophrenic who was off his meds became extremely combative and punched her in the face several times.
What was more shocking was that upon hearing that she was injured and needed medical attention herself, a boss ordered dispatch to NOT SEND ANYONE TO HELP THEM!!. These Medics fought valiantly to protect themselves for 6-minutes before police arrived to intervene.
You can hear the pain and exhaustion in their voices in this recording obtained exclusively through our undisclosed secret sources in Detroit:
