MEDIA RELEASE: NSGEU calls on McNeil Liberals to keep our blood supply safe and available for patients

Protecting people from pay-for-plasma corporate interest is critical to keep our public healthcare system safe and available to every patient who need it, says Nova Scotia Government and General Employees Union President Jason MacLean.

Documents made public by the Nova Scotia New Democratic Party show that Canadian Plasma Resources, a private pay-for-plasma company, singled out Nova Scotia as a target market in their 2016-17 business plan. The NDP has introduced legislation that would ban paid plasma donations.

“Making it illegal to operate for-profit blood collection centres in Nova Scotia would send a strong message that we want to keep private corporations out of our healthcare system,” said MacLean. “The NSGEU believes in a publicly funded and operated healthcare system that keeps our blood supply safe and available to patients who need it.”

“It would be irresponsible for our government to stand by and allow companies to enter our province and put our public blood supply at-risk. We are asking Stephen McNeil to stand up for what is right; keep our blood supply safe and in public control.”

Members of the NSGEU, Local 43, work as Laboratory Technologists, Lab Assistants, Biomedical Technologists, Equipment Specialists, and Laboratory Secretaries, among other occupations at Canadian Blood Services in the Halifax Regional Municipality.

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The Nova Scotia Government and General Employees Union represents over 30,000 women and men who provide quality public services Nova Scotians count on every day.

For more information, please contact:

Lucas Wide

NSGEU Communications Officer

902-497-5010 (cell) 902-424-4063 (office) 877-556.7438 (toll free) lwide@nsgeu.ca