Tell Tony Clement to keep health care public
The Canadian Medical Association is meeting this weekend, and they plan to discuss the privatization and commercialization of health care.
Canadians should be very concerned about this.
Already across the country, the number of private clinics extra billing, user fees, and other illegal practices are growing while Health Minister Tony Clement and the Conservative government refuse to administer or enforce the Canada Health Act.
But not all doctors want privatization. In fact, many of them want to protect, expand and improve public health care, rejecting the CMA’s push to privatize. CUPE applauds these doctors for resisting for-profit medicine, and asks you to join us in making that support clear to Minister Clement.
Please use the form below to send a message in support of public health care, and share the link with your friends, family, and networks.
http://cupe.ca/action/keephealthcarepublic/
A new collective agreement for Journal de Québec workers
After a 16-month lock-out, Québecor and its employees have come to a new agreement.
On August 8, CUPE members handed out the final edition of MédiaMatinQuébec, a free paper published by the locked out workers since the beginning of the conflict in April 2007.
Claude Généreux, CUPE National Secretary-Treasurer, was in Québec City on Friday to meet with the workers. He saluted their tenacity: “It’s an emotional day for all of us. We’re proud to end this conflict with dignity. In this opening day of the Olympics, I feel that each one of the 252 workers deserves a gold medal for their solidarity. For the last 16 months, they’ve showed an extraordinary sense of discipline, even though we never wanted this conflict. There were obviously some harsh feelings but no acts of violence or vandalism.”
Généreux also had a positive outlook about the MédiaMatinQuébec adventure: “Of course this initiative meant some major investment, but publishing this newspaper was an original and dynamic way to demonstrate our solidarity. This is part of the reason why we were able to face Québecor and its aggressive attitude.”
CUPE urges members to stand up for Canada Post
The Harper government is conducting a very quick and potentially damaging review of our public post office. While the ‘Canada Post Corporation Strategic Review’ has ruled out privatization, deregulation of our public postal service is still on the table.
“We have several concerns about the possible deregulation of Canada Post,” said CUPE National President Paul Moist. “We encourage our members to speak up in defence of this crucial public service.”
Danger to the universal postal service, danger to CUPW members, and danger to Canadians’ privacy are some of CUPE’s top concerns about this potential deregulation.
Visit www.cupe.ca for more information, and to find out how you can take action.
Brampton Library workers reach tentative deal
Libraries will remain open. Employees of the Brampton Library, Local 1776, have reached a tentative agreement with the employer, subject to ratification by the members of the local and the Brampton Public Library Board.
Members of the CUPE bargaining team, headed up by Bobby Nand from CUPE National, are pleased with the deal. Better benefits for part-time staff were a major focus of the negotiations, and these have been addressed.
CUPE Nova Scotia Welcomes Newest Local
Caregivers and residential counselors at three group homes and a workshop in Cheticamp, voted 100 per cent in favour of joining CUPE this week. The 30 full-time and casual employees work for the Cheticamp Association for Community Living (CACL).
“We are thrilled to welcome the members of newly-formed Local 4896 to our expanding CUPE family,” says CUPE National Representative John Evans. “And we are looking forward to going to the bargaining table early in the fall to hammer out a first collective agreement for these hard-working employees.”
Union hotline promises better life in Palestine
It is a practical trade union idea that promises to transcend the political hotbed that exists between Palestine and Israel - a hotline for transport workers who are routinely delayed or harassed by the occupying Israeli military at 642 checkpoints throughout the region.
That was the hopeful message left by two trade unionists who met with CUPE National Secretary-Treasurer Claude Généreux and senior staff members on August 12 in Ottawa.
Calling the project “courageous”, Généreux told the visitors that CUPE would assess the viability of providing assistance. Others agreed, noting that the accord could pave the way to future practical projects, such as health and safety training for public sector workers and literacy work among women workers.
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