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North Bay is the real life example of what will happen under the McGuinty Liberals’ plan for health care nearly 200 people attending a â??Keep Jobs Local’ Coalition community meeting, were told by North Bay mayor Vic Fedeli and CUPE Ontario president Sid Ryan. The coalition has formed in North Bay to fight the closure of the West Nipissing Joint Hospital Laundry and save the jobs of 26 laundry workers who are CUPE members.
In a startling revelation Mayor Fedeli and North Bay councilor Dave Mendicino both told the crowd that administrators with the hospitals that sit on the laundry’s board have indicated that the consolidation of the Nipissing laundry with Sudbury’s is a directive by the provincial health ministry to the hospitals to make cuts and find opportunities to consolidate services.
â??This laundry consolidation is a great test case. What’s next? Labs, clinical services,â?? asked Fedeli in making his point that he will be standing on the side of the laundry workers and fight to keep the facility in North Bay.
Both Fedeli and Mendicino want the laundry board and the area health care providers who sit on it to rescind their decision to close the laundry and instead develop a viable visible plan to upgrade the facility and keep it open locally.
â??If the Ontario Liberals’ plans for health care are fully implemented,â?? said Ryan. â??Consolidations, mergers and service closures, similar to what is happening with the laundry service, is the plan. Other health service jobs and services will be affected.
â??Right now North Bay is the on-the-ground example of the Liberals’ model for health care that includes a $1.1 billion private hospital and the possibility of health service consolidation in Sudbury.
Both Ryan and Fedeli told the crowd that area Liberal MPP Monique Smith who is the parliamentary assistant to the health minister has influence and can keep the laundry from closing.
â??I bet a lot people are wondering why North Bay’s Liberal MPP is not publicly standing with the local community to make sure services and jobs are kept local. Where is she tonight?â?? Asked Ryan.
Another rally is planned for June 18. The poster for this event can be seen at www.cupe.on.ca.
