Protests against job cuts at the hospital continue.
CUPE 139 held a car rally outside the North Bay Regional Health Centre on Tuesday.
“We once again reiterate that the North Bay hospital needs more staff, not less,” says Mike Turgeon, president of CUPE 139, representing 1,000 staff at the hospital. “Our members and community allies will not give up this fight until we have world-class hospital services in our city.”
The union says last week the Ontario Hospital Association pointed out annual government funding of four per cent has failed to keep up with the six per cent increase in hospital operating costs, in recent years.
They add the situation is likely to worsen with hospitals told to balance their budgets based on a two per cent annual funding increase through to 2027-28.
Budget adjustments, including 40 job cuts, were announced by the health centre in late October to find $5.6 million in savings.
