A planned strike by hundreds of Seattle's unionized American Medical Response emergency medical technicians has been put on hold as both sides agree to return to the bargaining table.
Represented by Teamsters Local 763, about 420 EMTs working for AMR had been set to walk out at noon Friday. But on Thursday night, the union and the company decided to continue working on a new contract, KIRO-TV reports.
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“Right now, the strike is temporarily called off," union President Anthony Murrietta told the TV station. "We will not be picketing, asking all of our members to go to work.”
Both sides have been trying to hammer out a deal since January, with AMR offering an hourly wage of a little more than $17 for starting EMTs in Seattle. The union balked at that deal in November, and that's when Friday's previous strike deadline was set. No face-to-face meetings were held since officials rejected that offer.
Before the restart of negotiations, AMR had drawn the ire of union officials by enlisting about 200 out-of-state replacement workers to fill in for their striking employees. The company, however, had not received any of the local waivers needed in order for replacement workers to be eligible to fill those shifts.
Any strike is now temporarily on hold. The union need to give 10 days’ notice before walking out, KIRO reports.
