|
AUPE News & Updates
Notice to Media: July 2, 2002
EVENT: Lunch-hour information picket and barbecue by AUPE members
from Foothills and Children’s hospitals
PURPOSE: To express concerns about contract negotiations and the threat
of contracting out at their workplaces
TIME: 11 a.m. to 1:30 p.m., Wednesday, July 3, 2002
LOCATION: Foothills Hospital, between Lot 1 and Lot 7, near the Grace
Women’s Centre
AUPE health care workers plan information picket, barbecue to press
for fair contract at Foothills, Children’s hospitals
CALGARY – Members of the Alberta Union of Provincial Employees who
work at the Foothills Hospital and Alberta Children’s Hospital will
hold a lunch-hour information picket and barbecue at the Foothills Wednesday
to show their concern with negotiations for a new collective agreement
and the threat of contracting out of some of their jobs.
The information picket and barbecue will take place from 11 a.m. until
1 p.m. at Foothills Hospital near the Grace Women’s Centre.
"Members want to express their concern and frustration over the low
wage offers that are now being made to support and front-line nursing
care employees in the health services sector at a time when some others
in the health care field and in other fields are receiving double-digit
pay increases," said AUPE Union Representative Karen Thibault in
Calgary.
"They also want to show that they are very unhappy with the suggestion
the Calgary Health Authority is considering replacing long-term employees
who are an important part of the health care team with poorly paid contract
workers," she said.
AUPE President Dan MacLennan, who will be in Calgary at the Foothills
Hospital for the event and who will be available for media interviews,
said AUPE members in health care at Calgary hospitals and elsewhere are
determined that they must be treated fairly in this round of negotiations.
As for the idea that some support jobs will be contracted out, he said,
"our experience is that the promised savings are never realized.
"The only difference is that taxpaying citizens lose their secure
jobs and the money they were making goes into the pockets of contractors,
who end up charging more for their services," he said.
"In addition, these employees are dedicated members of the health
care team who do important work, and the work will not be done as well
if it is contracted out to for-profit operations," MacLennan said.
"The profit motive and quality health care do not mix," he concluded.
"The health care system will not benefit in any way from this kind
of change."
AUPE represents about 3,000 employees of the two Calgary hospitals. In
all, AUPE is currently negotiating new contracts for more than 19,000
health care workers.
For more information, contact:
Dan MacLennan, President, AUPE, 780-930-3301 or 780-910-8392 (cellular
phone)
Karen Thibault, Union Representative, AUPE, 403-531-8607 or 403-816-7852
(cellular phone)
David Climenhaga, Communications Director, AUPE, 780-930-3311 or 780-717-2943
(cellular phone)
Back to Releases
|
