A cross section of labour unions is meeting this evening at the OPSEU Region Six Union Hall in North Bay to strategize over how to fight the Ford government changes.
The meeting is organized by the North Bay and District Labour Council and Ontario Federation of Labour.
Patty Coates, the OFL’s Secretary-Treasurer, says although the meeting is geared toward labour unions, community partners are also welcome because current and proposed legislation affects people in many walks of life.
The strategy meeting is one of at least 12 the OFL has planned across Ontario.
“The Conservatives are in power but they are not listening to labour or meeting with coalitions,” Coates said.
“We have to come together because we know that when we have many come together, we have the power of many.”
Coates says one issue that will come up is how people can mobilize against the just announced changes to the health care system.
She says the OFL is concerned that the Tories will spin the health care restructuring as a seamless change.
“Don’t believe it,” Coates said.
“This opens the door to privatization of health care.”
Coates says once health care is privatized there is no accountability because it will be a private entity that runs the service.
She also says under a privatized system tax dollars will be used to profit off of sick people.
A third concern is people will have to start paying for their health care in an effort to speed up their treatment or care.
Coates says the Tories have already revealed their intentions to cut programs.
She says sexual assault centres were promised specific funding which the government “has slashed”.
“So they won’t be able to do the same services that they provided up to that point. And in some communities, there is a long wait list for people to get counselling for those dealing with rape or assault.”
Coates says the Thursday strategy meeting will suggest what action people can take.
She says foremost they need to tell their local MPP how upset they are with the government.
She’s encouraging members to set up meetings with Nipissing MPP Vic Fedeli and to “talk to him about what’s important”.
The three-hour meeting begins at 5:30pm.