PGHIMC - Pittsburgh Independent Media Center

Privatization of Pittsburgh Emergency Medical Services
by stephen donahue Thursday, Dec. 11, 2003 at 9:54 AM
sdonahue412@hotmail.com

Mayor Tom Murphy is pushing hard and making deals to dump OUR public EMS!

Pittsburgh's fiscal crisis inspired structural adjustment program (SAP) is moving right along. Our tax exempt for-profit corporations and the giant multi-million $$ non-profits are surely happy to see that Pittsburgh has begun to dump its public services. No doubt the privatization of public services will be a primary concern of the "fiscal oversight board" that the state will soon impose on the city.

On the chopping block now is our public Emergency Medical Services. Already the victim of major layoffs now the whole EMS is up for sale. The plan is to divide our EMS up between UPMC, West Penn Allegheny Health System and the rabdily anti-union Mercy Health Care.

Privatization means lower wages and loss of benefits for those who do the work. It also means higher costs and lack of availability for those who need the service but are not rich. Privatization is disproportionately harmful to the poor.

Lets not subsidize lower wages, lower benefits and the loss of affordable and life saving PUBLIC EMS.

Please contact each Pgh City Council member and tell them NO PRIVATIZATION of our Emergency Medical Service, city refuse workers, city mechanics......

http://www.city.pittsburgh.pa.us
or call
Barbara Burns: 412-255-2135
Alan Hertzberg: 412-255-8963
Gene Ricciardi: 412-255-2130
James Motznik: 412-255-2131
Tucker Sciulli: 412-255-8965
Sala Udin: 412-255-2134
Len Bodack: 412-255-2140
Bill Peduto: 412-255-2133
Twanda Carlisle: 412-255-2137
THANKS!!!!!

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