Paramedics are fighting for better staffing levels in the metro region, and the union that represents them says the situation is having adverse effects on the health of workers.

According to NAPE President Jerry Earle, documents provided to government show over 2,000 red alerts have been placed on ambulance services at Eastern Health in the last year. As well, he notes there were over 3,000 hours of offload delays, which equates to a 12 hour Ambulance being off the road every week from Monday to Friday.

He claims that the Health Minister is “in denial” that such a situation is happening.

The effects could be seen on the signs of workers at a rally in St. John’s yesterday, they carried messages such as “I am exhausted” and “sick and tired of being sick and tired.”

Earl says the documents back up what workers are saying. He says such circumstances result in increased sick leave, mental health injuries, lost time and increased work, putting workers as well as the public in an unsafe situation.