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IAEP and county HR open wage talks as union seeks raises to close EMT pay gap
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Summary
Union representatives and county HR met April 24 to begin wage negotiations focused on pay compression for EMTs and paramedics, arguing county base pay lags a living-wage benchmark and neighboring PRN rates. County staff asked for classification and funding clarifications before finalizing tables.
Nikki Powell, HR director, and union leaders met April 24 to open wage negotiations over emergency medical services pay, with union representatives arguing raises are needed to address retention and pay compression.
Donna Balvin, IAB local 3 2 5 president, framed the proposal around recruitment and retention, saying the county should at minimum match a local living-wage benchmark. "Currently, the living wage for Escambia County is sitting at $21.78 for a single person," Balvin said, and she noted that EMT base pay is "just shy of that" level. Balvin also pointed to market competition: she said South Walton recently set its PRN paramedic rate at "$35.49 an hour," which "puts us essentially $8 an hour behind them."
The union asked the county to allow more flexibility to hire experienced external candidates above base pay and to adopt experience-based steps similar to a private lifeguard scale — a 2% per-year progression up to 15 years cited by Balvin as a model. "I think the agency should have the ability to offer that," she said, while leaving details (percentage or cap) open for negotiation.
County officials said they were broadly open to discussion but cautioned that classifying and funding certain positions will shape any final proposal. "If they are EMTs and paramedics, then so be it, and we would have to include them in any proposal that goes forward," Powell said, adding that jail medical positions are funded from the general fund and could require separate treatment. Powell noted administrative constraints, including pension and benefits rules, saying, "As far as PERC is concerned, an EMT is an EMT is an EMT," but stressing that retirement (FRS) and Affordable Care Act implications mean total‑compensation comparisons with non‑FRS agencies are not one-to-one.
Chris Watts, CMS chief, said the county would need to restructure the pay table to provide a clear visual of base wages and any proposed differentiations by years of service or job classification before committing to a final fiscal position. That table, Watts said, would help leaders see the recruitment and budgetary impacts and how to treat external hires and jail positions.
Participants agreed to collaborate on job descriptions and the structure of pay tables (a process Watts and Powell said is separate from bargaining) and to reconvene after more analysis. Union representatives asked for additional time to prepare; the group tentatively agreed to a follow-up meeting June 22 at 9 a.m., with final scheduling to be confirmed by Powell's office.
The meeting produced no formal motions or votes; both sides agreed to continue labor‑management sessions to refine classifications, pay-table structure and specific pay proposals.
