Area residents are being invited to a public town hall meeting on recent staff cuts at the North Bay Regional Health Centre.
Tuesday evening’s session takes place from 5:30-7:30 pm at the Davedi Club.
It’s being hosted by the Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE), which represents nearly 1,000 workers at the health centre.
“As frontline health care workers, we are deeply committed to our people in our community, which includes our own loved ones,” says Mike Turgeon, president of CUPE 139. “The hospital’s recent decision to cut 40 jobs is alarming at a time when we are understaffed and struggling to maintain a high standard of patient care. We can’t afford more cuts. We are urging North Bay residents to attend our community town hall and participate in our campaign to advocate for better hospital services.”
Union leaders and members of the public who have experience at the hospital as patients and caregivers are scheduled to speak at the meeting.
According to CUPE’s analysis, instead of reducing staff, the hospital must add 120 workers annually to keep up with growing patient volumes.
The union has promised to continue its advocacy campaign by mobilizing community members to demand appropriate funding.
In late October, the hospital announced a few measures, including a reduction of staff, to achieve $5.6 million in budget savings.
