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AirTalk

AirTalk debates 2018 ballot initiatives: Prop 11 - should EMTs and paramedics be allowed entirely off-duty breaks?

LOS ANGELES, CA - OCTOBER 09:  An ambulance transporting a patient is reflected in the window of another ambulance at Ronald Reagan UCLA (University of California Los Angeles) Medical Center on October 9, 2008 in Los Angeles, California. California State Treasurer Bill Lockyer has warned that California cash revenues will run out by the end of the month. If that happens, 5,000 California cities, counties, and school districts will face job layoffs and payments for law enforcement agencies, nursing homes, teachers, and other services and government entities could be suspended. A worldwide credit crunch threatens to derail state plans for a routine 7 billion dollar loan to even out the tax flow into the state treasury. Just two weeks after state lawmakers came to agreement, after months of haggling on a record-overdue state budget, California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger is warning of future cuts to the state budget to deal with skyrocketing financial problems. A frozen credit market and revenues for the first quarter of the fiscal year that fell more than a billion dollars short of previous projections are causing the governor and state legislative leaders scrabbling to deal with a new budget mess.    (Photo by David McNew/Getty Images)
An ambulance transporting a patient is reflected in the window of another ambulance at Ronald Reagan UCLA (University of California Los Angeles) Medical Center on October 9, 2008 in Los Angeles, California.
(
David McNew/Getty Images
)
Listen 11:48
AirTalk debates 2018 ballot initiatives: Prop 11 - should EMTs and paramedics be allowed entirely off-duty breaks?

Prop 11 is a ballot measure that aims to require private-sector ambulance workers to remain on-call during breaks and rest periods.

This practice is currently being performed by private ambulance companies, and a “yes” vote would simply allow them to continue it. In contrast, a “no” vote would hold these companies to the same labor laws as the rest of the industry, meaning that EMT’s with off-duty breaks would not be responsible for 911 calls during those times.

Proponents of Prop 11 state that it would greater guarantee a timely response to most 911 calls, and that the interrupted breaks would be made up at a later time. Those against the measure argue that it is simply an attempt for ambulance companies to avoid a slew of pending lawsuits involving past violations of meal and break times.

We debate the proposition.

To read the full explainer of Prop 11, click here.

Ready for Election Day? Get up to speed on what you need to know with our Voter Game Plan at elections.laist.com. Read up on the candidates and ballot measures, find out about registration deadlines or ask us your questions.

Guests:

Carol Meyer, former director of the Los Angeles County Emergency Medical Services Agency

Jason Brollini, nationally registered paramedic for 25 years; executive director of the United EMS Workers, an affiliate Local of AFSCME, which represents nearly 4000 private sector EMS workers in CA