Eight out of 10 Canadians think our health care system is in crisis.

In Ontario, continued cuts to health care have meant that chronic care patients, cancer patients, those relying on home care or hospital services, and seniors in long-term care facilities often must endure terrible conditions, lack of access to services, and higher out-of-pocket expenses. The situation in Ontario continues to deteriorate for patients and workers.

Now, the Harris government is on the verge of introducing new Long Term Care legislation designed to ration services and formalize the underfunding that has taken place.

OPSEU members working in health care are experiencing first-hand the attack on the system:

· the downloading of ambulance services and the impending privatization of air ambulance;
· the introduction of new long term care legislation;
· lab restructuring and the contracting-out of services in our hospitals;
· underfunding and competitive bidding in home care; and
· the divestment of our psychiatric hospitals.

Every year, the Ontario Health Coalition holds a Day of Action on Health Care. This year’s Day of Action is Saturday, Oct. 28.

Get involved. Help take a message to the news media and our communities. Last year’s events took place in 21 communities, with great news coverage nationally, provincially, and locally. There were demonstrations, public forums, and street theatre, all focused on the demand for quality public health care for all.

To date, the following community coalitions have confirmed participation: Belleville, Brampton, Burlington, Cornwall, Durham, Hamilton, Kingston, London, Ottawa, Renfrew, Thunder Bay, Timmins, Toronto and Windsor. Other communities may be on board soon.

If you need help in reaching your local health coalition, or to plan your own event, call Barb Linds at OPSEU Head Office, 1-800-268-7376 ext. 203.

Striking workers at Grand & Toy in Ottawa need your help. The 45 warehouse and delivery employees at the Ottawa distribution centre of Grand & Toy have been on the picket line since Aug. 2, 2000. Despite best efforts to resolve the dispute, the employer still refuses to bargain with the members of United Steelworkers Local 8327.

What began as a strike has now become a lockout. Grand & Toy has threatened a lawsuit and is asking union members to sign away their rights in exchange for their jobs.

The national boycott, called for by the Canadian Labour Congress, continues until further notice.

OPSEU Action Fax is an electronic publication of the Ontario Public Service Employees Union. Original authorized for distribution by Leah Casselman, president.

Original authorized for distribution by Leah Casselman, president.