/R E P E A T -- PC's health care privatization plan disaster in the making/
TORONTO, Feb. 1, 2019 /CNW/ - Unifor believes plans to privatize and consolidate health care services included in a leaked Ontario PC draft government bill will devastate communities across the province.
"The fact that this Conservative Government is even considering privatization of our health care system is an insult to all Ontarians," said Jerry Dias Unifor National President. "We watched how devastating the privatization of Ontario Hydro was for the Wynne government, and this government should be properly funding our public health care, not looking to follow misguided Liberals policies."
The Ontario NDP obtained a leaked Ontario PC draft government bill outlining the PC government's plans to privatize health care services and further open up Ontario to for profit providers. The draft bill would dissolve the Local Health Integrated Networks (LHINs) and create one centralized government agency. The Minister of Health and the new "Super Agency" would have the capacity to close or merge health services, such as hospitals, long-term care homes or community health centres.
"A high-quality and publicly funded health care system is part of Canadians DNA fabric. This attack is a forced and calculated destruction of one of the most relied upon public services," said Naureen Rizvi Ontario Regional Director. "Doug Ford continues to abandon the promises he made during the campaign. Unifor members alongside Ontarians will do everything necessary to ensure this ridiculous bill never is acted on."
Despite claims by Health Minister Christine Elliot that her government is listening to Ontarians, front-line Unifor members' right across the province have yet to be consulted. Unifor is calling on Minister Elliot to meet its leadership to discuss needs of front line health care workers.
Unifor is Canada's largest union in the private sector, representing more than 315,000 workers in every major area of the economy. The union advocates for all working people and their rights, fights for equality and social justice in Canada and abroad, and strives to create progressive change for a better future.
SOURCE Unifor
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