May 20 2026

Ottawa — The National Union of Public and General Employees (NUPGE) is calling for the public release of the contract between Canadian Blood Services and the multinational corporation Grifols, and for an end to Grifols’ operations in Canada, following troubling revelations about repeated failures to comply with standard procedures at a Winnipeg plasma collection clinic.

New reporting by The Globe and Mail details deficiencies identified by Health Canada after the death of University of Winnipeg student Rodiyat Alabede in October 2025. According to the news report, Health Canada found deficiencies in staff training, response procedures, supervision, and compliance at the Grifols Winnipeg clinic. 

The Globe and Mail also reports that Health Canada had raised many of these concerns with Grifols as far back as 2022. 

“Our union stands in solidarity with the family of Rodiyat Alabede, and with all families, donors and workers affected,” said Bert Blundon, President of NUPGE. “Canadians are shocked to discover that the recent tragic incident in Winnipeg was not an isolated case, but rather part of a series of failures by both Grifols and Canadian Blood Services.”

NUPGE is calling on the federal government to release the contract between Canadian Blood Services and Grifols to the public. 

“People deserve to know what agreements were made to allow a for-profit corporation to continue collecting plasma while repeatedly failing to meet compliance requirements,” said Blundon. “It’s about public safety and public trust.”

The union also renewed its call for Canada to end for-profit plasma collection and shut down Grifols’ operations in Canada. “Canada must return to a fully public and accountable blood and plasma system that puts safety above profit.”