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Blood services employees fear for job prospects

The union that represents more than 150 workers at the Canadian Blood Services National Contact Centre on Elm Street says they fear for their jobs as demand for whole blood drops. Last month, Canadian Blood Services CEO Dr. Dr. Graham D.
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Workers with the Canadian Blood Services National Contact Centre on Elm Street held an information picket Thursday ahead of their contract negotiations, scheduled to begin June 23. Employees at the call centre fear they could be replaced by temporary workers or more automation. Photo by Jonathan Migneault.
The union that represents more than 150 workers at the Canadian Blood Services National Contact Centre on Elm Street says they fear for their jobs as demand for whole blood drops.

Last month, Canadian Blood Services CEO Dr. Dr. Graham D. Sher informed staff the organization would be shutting down several permanent and mobile blood clinics across Canada.

“As I shared with you at the recent State of the Nation, the demand for whole blood continues to decline as hospitals change the way they use our products,” he said in a letter to staff. “Because of this, we have had to make significant changes to our collections model, which will result in changes across the country.”

Permanent clinics in Corner Brook, Nl., Sydney, N.S., and Prince George, B.C., are due to close June 1.

Canadian Blood Services is also discontinuing 34 mobile clinics across Canada, and is changing the permanent clinic in Sarnia to a mobile clinic.

The organization is reducing its blood collection goal by 40,000 units nationally.
Workers with the Sudbury call centre, which serves all of Canada except for Quebec, held an information picket Thursday afternoon to relay their concerns to the public.

“You hear CBS (Canadian Blood Services) put out their radio ads about how they need blood donations, and how they're in dire need, yet they're closing all these clinics, cutting hours and cutting staff,” said Shelley Canning, vice-president of OPSEU Local 619 and an employee at the call centre.

Canning said staff at the call centre have been without a contract since March 2014, and in light of recent national cuts, fear the centre could be on the chopping block.
Sarah Dupuis, OPSEU Local 619's secretary and treasurer, said there are now around 30 temporary workers at the centre, who have replaced permanent unionized employees.
She said increased automation for booking appointments to donate blood also puts local jobs at risk.

“They're trying to automate everything here,” she said. “Every time you automate something, jobs are lost.”

She added she receives complaints every day about the system in place to schedule appointments online.

“The website is poorly managed,” Dupuis said.

Canning said the union is now scheduled to begin negotiations with Canadian Blood Services on June 23.

In addition to job security, the union hopes to discuss wages, which have been frozen for three years.

Unionized workers starting at the call centre make around $15 an hour, and can move up to $18.95 an hour with seniority.

Earlier this month, Canadian Blood Services' Sudbury clinic relocated to a more central location at 944 Barrydowne Road.

The organization has set a target of 22,000 donations for Sudbury and the surrounding area, which includes mobile clinics to smaller communities. In Sudbury alone, Canadian Blood Services hopes to collect 7,200 units.

In an email statement to NorthernLife.ca Canadian Blood Services said it does not publicly comment on negotiations.

“We engage in open and honest two-way communication with all of our unions, respect the collective bargaining process, and honour all provisions of our collective agreements,” the statement said. “If any approved changes will have an effect on OPSEU members working at the National Contact Centre, we will discuss them in good faith in collective bargaining.”

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Jonathan Migneault

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