McLeod tells Palliser - treat health care workers with respect
MEDICINE HAT The 500 health care workers in Medicine Hat who are in a dispute with the government and the health region are not alone.
That was the message Bruce McLeod, President of CUPE Alberta brought to an information picket line in front of Medicine Hat Regional Hospital today. The picket line was put up by members of CUPE Local 189, who are upset with the deep cutbacks to their working conditions being proposed by the health region.
Health care workers in Palliser belong to the largest union in Canada, said McLeod. There are over 540,000 CUPE members in Canada and we will be putting those resources to work for the employees here today.
McLeod warned that if Palliser employees accept the rollbacks sought by the region, other health care workers would be vulnerable.
If Palliser gets the roll backs they want, you can be sure other CUPE health care workers will be facing similar concessions in other parts of the province and the country, said McLeod.
McLeod warned Palliser officials that failure to present reasonable bargaining proposals would result in a long, noisy summer.
(Board chair) Len Mitzel, (MLA) Rob Renner and (CEO) Tom Seaman might want to stay out of town, because they will be hearing from CUPE members on the radio, in the newspaper, on TV, and every time they meet a hospital worker, said McLeod.
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Contact: Lou Arab
Communications Representative
780.554.2722