Two representatives of Local 181 of the International Union of Operating Engineers sought permission from Carter magistrates Tuesday night to represent the workers.

Union business representative Tim Moore told magistrates that workers brought concerns about their working conditions to him.

``We've been approached by employees of the ambulance service with concerns about the way the service is being run," Moore said. ``We are here to ask the fiscal court for permission to move ahead with organizing the workers here."

Moore said 24 of 33 ambulance service employees had signed to join the union, should it be approved.

Magistrates chose not to act on the union's request, saying they need to confer with County Attorney Michael Fox, who was not at the meeting.

``I'm not really sure what we should do here, what the legalities are," said Judge-Executive Alice Joy Binion.

Moore said the union wants only to help workers, not to ``drive a wedge" between management and employees.

After the meeting, one ambulance service employee listed workers' grievances on the condition his name not be used.

``Our main concern is the unfair way women are treated," the worker said. ``Women are not treated as equals by the director, Mike VanHoose."

Other allegations leveled by the employee against VanHoose include:

• An attempted pay cut for the rank and file, in order to increase his own salary.

• Changes in standard operating procedure for the ambulance service, resulting in ``retroactive punishment." ``He's made rules changes, and gone back and disciplined people who broke those rules before they were changed," the employee said.

• Further changes in the by-laws of the service to give him ``total control."

``We feel like we don't have any recourse, no representation," the employee said. ``We don't feel like we can speak out without fear of reprisals."

When contacted Tuesday night, VanHoose would say only that he had not heard about union organization before the fiscal court meeting.

``This is the first time I've officially heard about it," VanHoose said. ``That's really all I want to say at this point."