Privatization of health care continues.
Yesterday, HSAA learned that Outpatient Pharmacy services in Calgary will be privatized in 2010. Shades of the Rexall takeover in Edmonton that saw members pushed to the brink of a strike earlier this year. Clearly HSAA will do everything in its power to protect the members involved. With then months’ notice, some, and perhaps all, of the members who are involved will fit into existing or upcoming vacancies (you know the ones, they haven’t been posted, and often look like they’ve just fallen off the face of the earth). So at least there is some time for members to examine and exercise options.
But the ‘chip, chip, chip’, away at public services of all kinds needs to be kept at the forefront for not only our members, but for all Albertans. Earlier today I spoke with a woman from Calgary who is “not anybody” – a member of the public. She certainly understood the insidiousness of a little cut here, a bit of privatization there, and the ultimate destruction of public health care and other services. She promised that she would take action, and work to engage more members of the public. That makes her somebody! And all of us are members of that public, with a right and a responsibility to advocate not only on our own behalf, but on behalf of all Albertans. The Code of Conduct does not need to be a barrier!
Pharmacy, physio, parking services, security, radiology, lab, long term care, respiratory therapy, mental health services – get the picture? In every one of these areas, the private sector continues to make inroads. Friends and co-workers have lost, or will lose jobs, and there does not appear to be any sacred cow. Today, you may be inclined to keep your head down because it isn’t your department that’s being affected. But tomorrow it may well be.
The Alberta Hospital Edmonton closure is another important file. We are working in conjunction with both UNA and AUPE to campaign against the closure. So far, we have been winning the war of public opinion. Tens of thousands of signatures on the petition have been tabled in the Legislature. We need to keep the pressure on.
If you are OK today, great for you. Please do your bit to help a sister or brother, whether they are HSAA members or not, to stay OK.
Finally, we say goodbye to Tom Olenuk, who was the president of the Edmonton and District Labour Council until his untimely death last week. He deserves our collective thanks for his unwavering commitment to the working people of Edmonton. Our condolences to Tom’s family and friends.
Wishing you a fine weekend.
Garmin1490t.com…
[...]just below, are some totally unrelated sites to ours, however, they are definitely worth checking out[...]…
iPhone 5…
[...]we like to honor other sites on the web, even if they aren’t related to us, by linking to them. Below are some sites worth checking out[...]…
That’s what we need…
…our new additions to the blogroll……
Great Clips Coupons…
[...]what follows are several references to internet sites which I connect to because we believe they’re truly worth visiting[...]…
[...] that is the end of this article. Here you’ll find some sites that we think you’ll appreciate, just click the links over[...]……
[...] Every once in a while we choose blogs that we read. Listed below are the latest sites that we choose [...]……
[...]we like to honor many other internet sites on the web, even if they aren’t linked to us, by linking to them. Under are some webpages worth checking out[...]……
[...]Here are some of the sites we recommend for our visitors[...]……
Great Clips Coupons…
[...]below are a few hyper-links to websites online that we connect to as we feel they’re well worth visiting[...]…
Digg…
While checking out DIGG today I noticed this…
Hi…
It’s hard to find knowledgeable people on this topic, but you sound like you know what youfre talking about! Thanks…
Great links…
[...] pursuing are a number of links to online websites which I truly connect to because we do recognize these are worthwhile going over [...]…
Great Clips Coupons…
[...]following are some web page links to places which we connect to seeing as we feel they will be seriously worth checking out[...]…
Hello!…
An interesting discussion is worth comment. I think that you should write more on this topic, it might not be a taboo subject but generally people are not enough to speak on such topics. To the next. Cheers…
hello…
you have a great blog here! would you like to make some invite posts on my blog?…
Best additions…
[...] one of our visitors recently suggested the following website [...]…
[...]Sites of interest we have a link to[...]……
[...]usually posts some very interesting stuff like this. If you’re new to this site[...]……
Worthy sites…
[...] always a good addict of backlinking to blog owners that I really enjoy yet don’t get a considerable amount of link love right from [...]…
Visitor recommendations…
[...]one of our visitors recently recommended the following website[...]……
Recommeneded websites…
[...]Here are some of the sites we recommend for our visitors[...]……
Superb website…
[...]always a big fan of linking to bloggers that I love but don’t get a lot of link love from[...]……
basketball drills…
[...]we like to honor other sites on the web, even if they aren’t related to us, by linking to them. Below are some sites worth checking out[...]…
Thanks…
Can I just say what a relief to find someone who actually knows what theyre talking about on the internet. You definitely know how to bring an issue to light and make it important. More people need to read this and understand this side of the story. I …
Superb website…
[...]always a big fan of linking to bloggers that I love but don’t get a lot of link love from[...]……
[...]the time to read or visit the content or sites we have linked to below the[...]……
[...]here are some links to sites that we link to because we think they are worth visiting[...]……
hello…
you have a great blog here! would you like to make some invite posts on my blog?…
[...]The information mentioned in the article are some of the best available [...]……
[...]below you’ll find the link to some sites that we think you should visit[...]……
Recent Blogroll Additions……
[...]usually posts some very interesting stuff like this. If you’re new to this site[...]……
Hi…
It’s hard to find knowledgeable people on this topic, but you sound like you know what youfre talking about! Thanks…
Online Article……
[...]The information mentioned in the article are some of the best available [...]……
[...]we like to honor many other internet sites on the web, even if they aren’t linked to us, by linking to them. Under are some webpages worth checking out[...]……
[...]Here are some of the sites we recommend for our visitors[...]……
Online Article……
[...]The information mentioned in the article are some of the best available [...]……
Thanks you…
There are some interesting points in time in this article but I donft know if I see all of them center to heart. There is some validity but I will take hold opinion until I look into it further. Good article , thanks and we want more! Added to FeedBur…
Thanks…
Can I just say what a relief to find someone who actually knows what theyre talking about on the internet. You definitely know how to bring an issue to light and make it important. More people need to read this and understand this side of the story. I …
közösségi portálok…
[...]here are some links to sites that we link to because we think they are worth visiting[...]…
[...]Sites of interest we have a link to[...]……
[...]usually posts some very interesting stuff like this. If you’re new to this site[...]……
[...]Sites of interest we have a link to[...]……
[...]usually posts some very interesting stuff like this. If you’re new to this site[...]……