Al2- The Terrace Standard, Wednesday, November 28, 2001 Contracting out services wont save, Says union head CONTRACTING OUT hospital support services will cast money and not save it, says the president of the Hospital Employees’ Union (HEU). - Fred Muzin, on a recent visit here, said a transfer of public money to private companies ‘won't make things any better. “There's nothing wrong with making a profit. But it shouldn’t beat. the: expense of ‘sérvices and patient care,” said Muzin who predicts: both will suffer if health services are privatized. © , “There will ‘be massive service disruptions,” Muzin indicated in pointing to the decision: by. the Liberal pov- ernment to freeze healih care budgets | for three’ years. “In our case, there’s a-wage increase ‘of two per cent Aptil 1, 2002 and‘1.5. per cent for wage equity. We've been told they won't be funding tt,” said: Muzin. “If they don’t do something, the major way, lo balance ‘the books is by service reductions.” =: The HEU represents approximately 170 hospital sup- port workers in this area_and has contracts with native health care authorities in the Nass Valley . and ihe Ha-- zeltons. ; Muzin forecasts layoffs and other forms of job losses will follow -as health care authorities look ate) save money. And it’s here where they will consider contracting out as one way of achieving those savings, he said... : “But they'll be wrong. We- know it is: much, much more expensive than public ownership,” Muzin said, He pointed out that St. Paul’s in Vancouver has twice now cancelled housekeeping contracts with the hotel chain Marriott. What happened is that hospital employees ending up We are now faking for Grad, Weddings and More... Elizabelh SCHOOL TRUSTEES attending board meetings by teleconference are having trouble hearing what’s going on. At the Nov. 14 meeting Hazelton trustee Pete Weeber told the board the current teleconference system is “totally insufficient.” Weeber said he may have missed as much as one-third of the proceed- ings while listening on the other end of the line. Superintendent of schools Randy Smaltbrugge said the district is already looking at how the system can be im- proved, Trustees who can’t attend meetings in person are able to'listen in and take part in proceedings by teleconference. “Is there any problem hearing me?” asked deep-voiced trustee Peter King. “Never,” replied Hal Stedham, a Terrace trustee who frequently attends meetings via teleconference but was able to attend last week’s meeting in M training an endless cycle of Marriott managers who then went on to work in that company’s hotels, said Muzin. “It was just too expensive, You lose control. You don’t get good value for your money. We've proven we «| can do it better and cheaper in house.” Bul Muzin does support re- gional plans to save. money such as a system here in which the Kitimat hospital runs a region-wide laundry service for other health care institutions, including ones in Terrace, “When they make sense, Fred Muzin they work well,” he said. Muzin said job security provisions in the HEU will protect workers but notes this will be an added expense that-is not directed toward patient care. - He also acknowledges that the HEU will have a chance to organize workers at any private health care - Support companies set up if privatization does occur. Muzin is also leery about massive government expen- ‘diture culs, saying they will make worse any economic downturn. “The economy can’t sustain these kinds of cuts dur- person. “You are definitely one of the clearest speakers.” Stedham added it’s hard hearing board members who sit far away from the speaker phone, He admitted it’s possible trustees using the system might miss signif- icant portions of some discussions. Stewart trustee Les Deacon-Rogers had cancelled his teleconference link Geans 2002 INSTOCK TUXEDO SPECIAL ORDERS RENTALS Starting at °69.99 Fashions * 4609 Lakelse, Terrace, B.C. 635-421 | ing a recession. You need public sector dollars to sustain ; just before last week’s board meeting the economy,” he said. ~ Phones irk trustees pol under- way. Large peogra- phic dis- tances Bland ex- treme winter weather 24 conditions are the main rea- sans trustees who must travel to Terrace for meet- ings sometimes choose the teleconference option, Five trustees represent communities outside of Terrace, including board chair Linda Campbell, who lives ‘in Kitimat. Poor weather conditions forced Schoal District 82 to postpone its monthly board meeting in Terrace for a week, Winter arrived in the form of a snowfall Nov. 7, producing hazardous conditions for highway drivers, particu- Jarly in Kitimat. “Not one of us is going to be risking our lives by coming to a board meeting,” Campbell said. Linda Campbell Courtesy Travel Cares about you. Friday, November 30, 2001 —_— Late Night Shopping * Open Until 9:00 p.m,,. 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