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NSGEU launches campaign to fight privatization at Capital Health

Capital Health contracts out AV and print services in September 2012.

Halifax (08 June 2012) - Capital Health managers in Nova Scotia dropped a bombshell recently when they abruptly announced plans to contract out its audio visual (AV) and print services department in September. Twenty-one jobs will be losts if they are privatized, reports the Nova Scotia Government & General Employees Union (NSGEU/NUPGE).

Hospital management have not disclosed any more information about the idea, nor have they answered many of the questions and concerns that are already emerging:

  • Who will arrange, staff, and troubleshoot the hundreds of tele-health events Capital Health hosts every year?
  • Who will ensure the accuracy and relevance of the 4,000+ of medical forms, prescriptions and patient guides that are the fundamental to health care across the province?
  • Who will print the 15 million copies of forms, prescriptions and patient guides and ensure they are delivered properly and on time?
  • How this disruptive and potentially dangerous move would save money?

The NSGEU/NUPGE is calling on the province's medical workers, patients, and taxpayers to demand answers to these questions. It is clear that fundamental misunderstandings exist within Capital Health's leadership about the work being targeted for privatization.

The union is hoping to stop the scheme to privatize health services by mounting a public campaign against the changes. Workers are being encourage to download this poster, print it , and post it on a union bulleting board in the workplace.

The general public can support the campaign by writing to Health Minister David Wilson (health.minister@gov.ns.ca), Capital Health CEO Chris Power (chris.power@cdha.nshealth.ca, and Capital Health VP Amanda Whitewood (amanda.whitewood@cdha.nshealth.ca) to voice opposition to the proposed privatization.

More informaton:

Contracting Out Alert poster

NSGEU website

NUPGE

The National Union of Public and General Employees (NUPGE) is one of Canada's largest labour organizations with over 340,000 members. Our mission is to improve the lives of working families and to build a stronger Canada by ensuring our common wealth is used for the common good. NUPGE