To: All Ontario hospital and affiliated long-term care local unions
Dear sisters and brothers,
On March 9, following furious lobbying by your local members, the government introduced amendments to Bill 8, which ensure that, this legislation cannot be used to over-ride or open our collective agreements.
Those amendments, together with an analysis are posted on the OCHU and CUPE National websites.
We still have major concerns about the accountability provisions of Bill 8, which could be used to coerce the boards and ceos of health care institutions to regionalize and privatize a wide range of support services.
OCHU is calling all local presidents to an emergency meeting, in Toronto, to review the amendments that have been made to the bill and to decide on what our next steps should be. This conference will take place March 31 at 10:00 a.m., location to follow. Northern locals will be able to access this conference by phone.
The March 19 demonstrations go ahead, with your support, as we focus our firepower on the accountability mechanisms and the threat that they pose to support services, On Monday March 15, speakers notes and a provincial media release will be posted on the OCHU and CUPE National websites.
Thank you for your mobilization of our members in their self-defense. Please ensure that your local is represented on March 31.
Yours in solidarity,
Michael Hurley,
President, OCHU/CUPE
