As B.C.’s health authorities finalize their plans to lay off thousands of health care workers, Hospital Employees’ Union members will gather outside many hospitals and long-term care facilities on Thursday to raise the alarm about the impact of these actions on health services and local communities.
Timed to coincide with regular shift changes, front-line staff will gather outside selected workplaces to call for urgent face-to-face talks between their union, government and health employers to find alternatives to the lay off of 5,000 skilled, experienced workers.
HEU members will distribute information to the public, hold rallies and take part in other creative activities.
“The public’s investment in the skills and experience of health care workers will be lost if this government’s health privatization plans proceed,” says HEU secretary-business manager Chris Allnutt. “We’re committed to finding solutions that will protect and improve health care delivery and urge government and health employers to join us in that effort.”
The actions will not affect the delivery of health care services and all HEU members will work their scheduled shifts.
-30- For more information on local activities, contact Mike Old, communications officer, 604-828-6771 (cell)