The Hospital Employees’ Union is renewing its call for a moratorium on the Campbell Liberals’ privatization plans in the wake of this morning’s revelation that links a key anti-abortion kingpin to a housekeeping contract at Children’s and Women’s Hospital.
“This is a chilling example of how in its rush to dismantle and sell off our health care system, this government is putting at risk the health and safety of patients and health care workers who provide abortion services,” says HEU secretary-business manager Chris Allnutt.
“Clearly, the Campbell Liberals and their health authorities don’t know what they’re doing,” says Allnutt. “Two weeks ago, we witnessed evidence of collusion and a conspiracy by private contractors to blacklist union members in the privatization tendering process.
“Now, in their efforts to contain the damage from that scandal, health bosses have blindly staggered into yet another disaster.”
In addition to a moratorium, HEU is calling for an independent investigation into the impacts of privatization and contracting out in health care. An April 9 - 16 McIntyre and Mustel/HEU poll released late last month indicated that 72 per cent of British Columbians would support such a call.
Allnutt says the public would be shocked to learn that the government’s own health employer organization is advising its members like Children’s and Women’s Hospital - to not to closely scrutinize potential private contractors’ employees in order to avoid health union challenges to contracting out.
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Contact:
Mike Old, communications officer,
604-456-7039 (direct) - 604-828-6771 (cell)