October 18th, 2017 - 2:02pm

Community, Health Care, In the House, Labour

Brian Masse MP (Windsor West) with NDP colleagues Cheryl Hardcastle MP (Windsor Tecumseh) and Lisa Gretzky MPP (Windsor West) standing with striking UNIFOR 2458 Medical Laboratory workers

 

OTTAWA – Brian Masse M.P. (Windsor West) during the debate on Bill-C 55 (An Act to Amend the Oceans Act and the Canada Petroleum Resources Act) raised the issue of the Medical Laboratory Workers strike in Windsor to illustrate the problem of creeping privatization in the delivery of services.

 

Masse along with his Federal colleague Cheryl Hardcastle NDP M.P. (Windsor Tecumseh) and Provincial colleague Lisa Gretzky NDP M.P.P (Windsor West) recently attended a press conference with the striking UNIFOR 2458 workers. All three New Democrats expressed frustration with the phenomenon of ‘creeping privatization’ within our public services.

 

In his first opportunity to bring forward the issues since standing in solidarity with the Med Lab UNIFOR workers Masse said the following in the House of Commons:

 

“The failing of the minimum protection requirements and having the elements related to oil and gas allowed is likened to the creeping privatization taking place. The creeping privatization on public elements, property, and space also happens in our social services and in a number of different of different things.

 

I want to compare a recent example in my community so people have an idea. In Ontario, we allowed creeping privatization, and continue to allow it, of medical services. For example, Unifor 2458 medical lab workers are on strike right now. Under creeping privatization, their wages are $12.50 an hour. They are involved in blood work, which is high risk. It is a challenge. Our entire treatment and publicly funded system are based on that. Most important, that creeping privatization now has a piece of private profit in it. We could do much better without that private profit.”

 

Moving forward Masse will continue to support these workers as they fight for fair wages and New Democrats will continue to fight the creeping privatization of public services in health care and other sectors.

Here’s a short clip of the comment: