There is a direct correlation between being a part of a union and higher wages. In addition, unions strive to improve worker benefits (e.g., health insurance and retirement benefits), working conditions, job security, training quality, and other protections needed by the profession they represent. Wages of emergency medical technicians (EMTs) in states with a high union presence tend to be higher than in non-union states.
How Union Membership Works
When workers complete training for an EMT exam and join a union, representatives use collective bargaining to negotiate binding contracts that increase wages and work standards for members. The idea is that working as a group with a united voice puts workers in a stronger negotiating position than attempting to bargain with management on their own.
According to the American Federation of State, County, and Municipal Employees, there are 270,000 public and private EMS workers in the United States. Few EMS workers belong to unions, and the profession struggles with low wages, understaffing, poor working conditions, and burnout.
Benefits of Being Unionized
EMTs deliver quality care to patients, often in challenging, stressful, and sometimes hazardous circumstances. Collective bargaining is used to improve working conditions in multiple ways:
Higher Pay
A study by the American Medical Association found that unionized healthcare workers are paid at least 10% more than their non-unionized counterparts. Union-negotiated employment agreements usually include minimum salaries and minimum annual increases, and employees can use this framework to negotiate for more money based on experience, performance, and certifications.
Unions and living in the best states for EMT salaries help workers earn enough to support their families with dignity and avoid living paycheck to paycheck.
Better Benefits
Healthcare coverage is a major concern for all Americans. The collective strength of a union can help EMTs secure an insurance plan that provides greater coverage.
In addition, many union retirees rely on pensions earned through years of hard work to help them enjoy their golden years. In many professions, pensions were replaced with 401K savings programs, which do not always provide the same level of financial security.
Working Conditions
Emergency medical service providers put their lives in danger every day to help others, and they play an essential role in providing emergency medical care for people who are seriously injured or sick. However, because there is a shortage of EMTs in communities nationwide, many professionals work long hours under stressful conditions that can put quality care at risk.
Union contracts can protect workers from excessive hours, arbitrary firings, and layoffs. They can also ensure that workers have access to reliable and safe equipment and receive the training they need to do their jobs.
Stronger Together
While unionization has grown recently, there’s room for it to grow in the healthcare sector. The percentage of unionized healthcare workers continues to hover around 13%. Regionally, 22% of healthcare workers in the northeast are unionized–the same as 21% in the west, 11% in the midwest, and 5% in the south. More workers in metropolitan areas are unionized than those working in rural areas.
When workers are happy and feel valued in their workplace, the quality of care is higher and patients fare better. To learn more about this honorable profession and how to become certified to provide emergency services, check out The Paramedic Coach. Our vault of online resources is available for a reasonable lifetime subscription. It has all the information you need to acquire certifications, pursue a rewarding career as an EMT, and learn how to get an EMT pay raise.
