Hospital professionals rally: there’s more to a modern health team

In his first rally following re-election at OPSEU’s Convention, April 8th President Warren (Smokey) Thomas challenged Ontario Hospital Association President Tom Closson to sit down and talk about the hundreds of hospital professionals that get treated as an afterthought by hospitals and the Ontario government.

OPSEU’s Hospital Professionals are upset that the OHA offered little at the central bargaining table, resulting in a quick referral to binding arbitration.

Sandi Blancher, Chair of the HPD bargaining team, said the hospital professionals are being treated differently that the nurses, who have recalled their mediator in an attempt to reach an agreement.

“Somehow I don’t think the Ontario Nurses’ Association is looking at the same kind of offers the OHA thought was good enough for our hospital professionals,” she told the crowd of about 500.

OPSEU members carried signs representing different professions to the rally, such as “Physiotherapists are essential to a modern health team” or “Laboratory Technologists are an essential to a modern health team.”

Retiring 1st Vice-President Patty Rout contrasted the mandatory full-time targets for nurses to the situation of laboratory technologists, of which more than 50 per cent are part-time.

She also spoke of the lack of consistent support by the OHA for pharmacy technicians, who are facing substantial costs in time and money to re-qualify for their jobs. The pharmacy techs must be accredited under the College of Pharmacists by 2015.

“They have little support from this government or many of the hospitals they work for through this process,” she said.

After rallying outside of Simcoe Park, the group marched around the downtown office tower in which the OHA is headquartered.

Upon adjournment of the 2011 Convention, hundreds of OPSEU members joined labour and community activists for a rally to demand respect for our communities, public services and good jobs.

NUPGE Report:

What an amazing day! Yes we can say that ten thousand people turned out to start the fightback against the policies being pursued by the Ford regime at City Hall. From the great speakers and performers at Dundas Square, to the spirited march that filled Yonge Street for blocks, to the final rally at City Hall square - it was simply breathtaking.

Torontonians heard from community voices talking about the importance of city services and good jobs. They included:

• Kay Bisnath, the Chair of the Gordonridge Scarborough Chapter of Toronto ACORN since 2006.

• Brian Demareski grew up in Regent Park/Cabbagetown and has been a solid waste worker for the City of Toronto since 1997. He was flanked by fellow CUPE 416 members Tony Ramdeen and Leslie Frost, and by CUPE 79 members Alexandra Pinosa who teaches aquatics and cleaner Trish O'Brien.

• Bishara Mohamed and Catherine Wilkinson, TCHC tenants and active members of Tenants for Social Housing.

• Sabrina "Butterfly" Gopaul, a grassroots community activist speaking on behalf of Jane and Finch Action Against Poverty and the Green Change anti-poverty movement.

• Krisna Saravanamuttu, President of York Federation of Students, active in the Tamil community and a life-long public transit user.

They were joined on stage by OFL President Sid Ryan and ATU Local 113's Bob Kinnear. The rally co-chairs were Labour Council President John Cartwright and Winnie Ng of the Good Jobs for All coalition.

Thanks goes out to everyone for helping to make this day an overwhelming success. Unions and community groups who brought out great numbers, leaders who helped inspire the possibility of this happening, and staff of the different organizations who worked so hard in so many ways.