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 what happens when a government is in a rush to dismantle and sell off our health care system," 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.
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.
-30- Contact: Mike Old, communications officer, 604-456-7039 (direct), 604-828-6771 (cell)