New recourse to strike - Héma-Québec deplores the union's attitude and
invites the public to give blood

MONTREAL, May 14 /CNW Telbec/ - Héma-Québec feels that the decision by the three CSN unions to strike again on May 27 and May 28 will prolong the labour conflict uselessly. Héma-Québec will, nevertheless, make sure that despite this situation the hospitals will have blood products in sufficient quantities to treat their patients.

Héma-Québec finds it difficult to explain this decision since a bargaining session has been scheduled for today, May 14, to advance - even accelerate - the settlement process.

"We were surprised by this decision, considering the significant progress that has been made in negotiations. Ninety-nine percent of the non-monetary clauses have been settled and we submitted the monetary platform on March 30. It would have been appropriate to allow negotiations to pursue their course," said Manon Pepin, Vice-President, Public Affairs and Marketing.

Héma-Québec would like to remind the public that they are invited to give blood generously, despite the announcement of a possible strike. Héma-Québec will ensure that the unions concerned by this strike vote maintain adequate services at the blood drives affected.

Héma-Québec would like to point out that this conflict does not affect all of its personnel, but only three unions out of nine representing 375 people out of Héma-Québec's 1,300 employees. All of the necessary personnel will be on hand to welcome blood donors at the mobile blood donation unit and the Globule blood donor centres.

Blood drives scheduled in the Capitale-Nationale, Chaudière-Appalaches, Mauricie, Saguenay-Lac-Saint-Jean, Côte-Nord, Bas-Saint-Laurent and Gaspésie regions will not be affected since they are organized with personnel from other unions.

About Héma-Québec

Héma-Québec aims to efficiently provide adequate quantities of safe, optimal blood components, substitutes, human tissues and cord blood to meet all Quebecers' needs; provide and develop expertise along with specialized and innovative services and products in the fields of transfusion medicine and human tissue transplantation.

Héma-Québec counts 1,300 employees, some 2,000 blood drives and more than 300,000 blood donors every year, 16,000 partner volunteers and more than 485,000 blood products annually delivered to hospitals in Quebec to fulfill patients'needs.

Give blood. Give life.

For further information: Manon Pepin, Vice-President, Public Affairs and Marketing, [phone], [email protected]; Source: Laurent Paul Ménard, Director - External Communications