For
decades, as part of waging the neo-liberal anti-social offensive,
governments at both the provincial and federal level have undertaken a
program of privatization of social programs and public institutions
using means legal and foul to overturn contracts, take away pensions
and treat workers as disposable. In the private sector as well means
legal and foul have been used to lower wages, overturn working
conditions and steal pensions. When the BC government in 2002 opened up
the health care sector to seven private global cartels it broke with
impunity the existing legal framework of contracts and labour law to
privatize hospital service work and contract it out.
The working people consider all of this to be a grave crime against workers yet no one has been held to account.
All across the country workers need assurance that wages and working
conditions are set at a Canadian standard and that neo-liberal
privatization will not prevail. Except for acute care hospitals and
some long-term care homes, the entire BC health care system is
privatized to pay the rich. Workers themselves through their own
organized
determination and strength of numbers and position in the economy as
the producing class have successfully defended their rights which defends
the well-being of all. It is a political fight waged on the basis of
what serves the workers and society itself.
Congratulations on your hard-fought success! Privatization can be reversed! Bravo!
The provincial health authorities will end the following contracts with seven global cartels.
Vancouver Island Health Authority
MHC/Compass, 190 full-time equivalent (FTE), mixed services
Morrison, 152 FTE, patient food services
Compass, 230 FTE, housekeeping
Acciona, 115 FTE, housekeeping
Fraser Health
Sodexo, 297 FTE, housekeeping; 63 FTE, mixed services
Aramark, 214 FTE, housekeeping
Compass, 132 FTE, mixed services
Provincial Health Services Authority
Compass, 91 FTE,
housekeeping; 47 FTE, patient/retail food services (two contracts same
service, same provider, across multiple facilities)
SerVantage, 25 FTE, housekeeping
Vancouver Coastal Health/Providence Health Care
Compass,
12 FTE, patient food services; 736 FTE, housekeeping; 13 FTE, mixed
services (two contracts same service, same provider, across multiple
facilities)
Sodexo, 538 FTE, patient/retail food services (five contracts same service, same provider, across multiple facilities)
This article was published in
September 3, 2021 - No. 78
Article Link:
https://cpcml.ca/WF2021/Articles/WO08782.HTM
Website: www.cpcml.ca
Email: editor@cpcml.ca
