Dalton McGuinty should intervene to stop planned layoffs at Peterborough Regional Hospital, the Ontario Public Service Employees Union says.
Yesterday's announcement of 75 layoffs is another example of the McGuinty Liberals' health care policies leaving hospitals in chaos, the union says. The cuts include 32 OPSEU professional and clerical staff including social workers, speech language pathologists, physiotherapists, occupational therapists and others.
"This is outrageous. Premier McGuinty was elected to improve health care services, not cut them. It's not too late for him to keep his promise and stop these layoffs," OPSEU President Leah Casselman said.
Peterborough residents already face long waits for services at their hospital. These cuts will only make waiting times longer, the union said. "Cutting services and downloading the day hospital to the community will not make the hospital more efficient. It really means these services may no longer be provided. We will have
two-tier health care, and the most vulnerable people in Peterborough will suffer," she said.
"In January, George Smitherman announced $91-million in funding for hospital severances, and now we see services being cut in Peterborough. If this is the minister's plan, the next person in the health care system to be cut should be Smitherman," said Casselman.
OPSEU represents about 40,000 workers across the health care system including hospital professionals, mental health, community health professionals, health care support, ambulance, long- term care and ministry staff.
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For further information:
Patty Rout, OPSEU Health Council, cell 905-429-7529;
Mary Lou McCartney, Staff Representative 705-748-9100;
David Cox, OPSEU Communications, cell 416-788-9197.
