News Talk 94.1/AM 1600 Where The Upper Cumberland Talks
Celina Mayor Luke Collins said local EMS workers will receive holiday pay moving forward.
The town’s EMS employees have voiced concerns over equal benefits after being excluded from several departmental raises. Collins said he hopes the increased wages improves Celina’s relationship with emergency workers.
“This has got to make them feel better,” Collins said. “So hopefully, we’ll continue to work with them and communicate with them. The need is way way high, but then the resources to take care of the need is way low. It is a tough balancing act when you just don’t have a lot of money.”
Collins said employees would get an additional $8 an hour on top of regular pay. Collins said if hours worked exceed 40 on a holiday, time and a half payment will be given.
The EMS department that serves Clay County currently operates through a contract with Celina. Each year, the department has a budget created. Collins said having contracted workers makes for an interesting dynamic when considering pay.
“It’s a unique situation when you have contract labor, trying to have them exactly like a regular employee,” Collins said. “There’s times that they may get a raise or bonus and other employees don’t, but they are now getting paid for those holidays now.”
Collins said the extra pay begins this month for Veteran’s Day and Thanksgiving. Collins said a total of 14 days a year will count as holiday pay. Paramedic Andy Hall during October’s Board of Aldermen meeting said that holiday pay was the main want asked by EMS workers.
