Monday, October 26, 2020

Supporting our Healthcare Workers

I don't generally moodle about real-time events, but this is worth posting here. Our healthcare workers need our help and support against a government that is more interested in the financial bottom line than the human one. If you are able, consider helping in one of the ways mentioned below. If you can't give support in person, consider writing letters, using social media, and contacting your MLA directly.

This info was sent to me by Climate Justice Edmonton, some fine people with whom I've had some positive connections in the past. I am happy to share it here, though not happy with our government for causing this crisis for our front line workers in the middle of a pandemic!

Healthcare workers across Alberta started a wildcat strike today.

Workers are protesting privatization and layoffs. The general services and LPN workers who initiated the strike are some of the lowest paid and most vulnerable public sector workers. Their courage is absolutely inspiring.

Never forget: patient care conditions are working conditions! Standing up for these workers shows that patients (all of us!) deserve to receive high quality care within the universal public system. Privatization and layoffs threaten pay for already low-paid workers and the quality of care for patients.

Supporting this strike is essential for us in the environmental/climate justice movement. Climate justice is environmental justice. Climate justice is health justice. Climate justice is racial justice.

Here's how you can show up for healthcare workers right now:
The #1 thing you can do is go to a picket line! You can find out where strikes are happening in this thread. Bring a sign!

Don't have time to stick around? Bring coffee, snacks, and hand/foot warmers. It gets cold standing outside!

If you can't go to a picket line, share support and calls for the Province and AHS to halt the planned layoffs and privatization initiatives on social media.

Click here
 if you have questions! We're happy to connect folks with information and resources.

See you on the picket line!
CJE

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