Negotiating new pay for the first time in four years, the City of Austin received some major blowback after offering a 14 cent raise for entry-level employees in Austin’s emergency medical services department.
According to the Austin EMS Association, 26% of its staff are considered low income. In a statement, the city said a pay study found the maximum pay for Austin EMTs and paramedics is higher “than that of comparable agencies when you adjust wages for regional costs.” Austin EMS Association said that is not true.
Selena Xie, president of the association, said the sticking point in city negotiations is the starting wage of $19.56 per hour.
“We have a lot of medics who work here that have not worked here that long, she said. “All of those medics are making these poverty wages.”
The association asked for that base pay to be increased to $27 per hour – and they believe the city’s counteroffer of $19.70 per hour falls short.