(Amherst) A decision by the Hamm government to appoint a special mediator to a dispute between two doctors at an Amherst hospital smacks of a double standard of the worst kind.
That blunt assessment comes today from Terry Cove, the local president of a group of womens shelter workers in Amherst who says, Ten women have now been on strike for 14 weeks and cannot get this government to appoint a mediator, but two male doctors get into a personality clash and they get one in a matter of a few weeks.
John Hamm and his Minister of Community Services, David Morse, have clearly demonstrated to the people of Cumberland County just how low a priority they put on Autumn House and services for battered women and children, says Cove.
Cove says a letter was sent this week (Wednesday, November 12) to Minister Morse requesting a special mediator to help end the strike.
Women and their families throughout the county who have been without assistance, counseling and shelter from abusive partners can take cold comfort from this gross double standard. The same can be said for men who require counseling of their own, says Cove.
We can only conclude that two well-paid, male doctors are much more important to the Hamm Tories than 10 women who work at a womens shelter, and their clients, says Cove.
The Amherst shelter workers, members of CUPE Local 4326, have been on strike since August 11. They are fighting an attempt by the Autumn House Board of Directors to strip major concessions from their contract.
For information:
Terry Cove
President, CUPE Local 4326
667-7314 (h) - 694-3012 (Cell)
Terry Goulding
CUPE National Rep.
(902) 752-2244 (o)
John McCracken
CUPE Communications Rep.
(902) 455-4180 (o)