Kingston General Hospital staff announce a major campaign to stop the
contracting out of retail food services

KINGSTON, ON, Oct. 15 /CNW/ - The local union representing 1200 nursing, support and clerical staff at Kingston General Hospital is today announcing a major campaign to stop the contracting out of retail food services.

CUPE Local 1974 president Louis Rodrigues says " retail food services makes a significant profit for KGH every year. There is no reason to contract-out this service. The hospital's dietary department first won the bid to deliver the service and then the tendering process was reopened to other bidders. In the second round the in-house dietary service was not even allowed to make a presentation."

Ontario Council of Hospital Unions president Michael Hurley is today "calling on the Minister of Health to investigate the tendering of the contract for retail food services at Kingston General Hospital. The Hospital should be prevented from signing a contract while the Minister investigates this very peculiar bidding process."

Mr. Rodrigues says "that the campaign will involve a $100,000 advertising campaign and a series of information sessions and demonstrations. We will be asking the Kingston community why its flagship hospital doesn't buy its produce and meats from local farmers and suppliers. Why does KGH want a multinational to produce food in a factory in Mississauga and ship it hundreds of kilometres up the 401?"

Under the CUPE collective agreement workers cannot be laid off in a contracting out. Mr. Rodrigues says "this is not about our jobs, those are protected. This is about what public institutions do with taxpayers money."

For further information:

Louis Rodrigues, President, CUPE Local 1974: 613-531-1319
Michael Hurley, President, Ontario Council of Hospital Unions: 416-884-0770