THE VOICE OF NO

SUP re ait

RYR AND WE

Hospital dispute resolution
sought as 250 walk out at LGH

LABOR MINISTER Moe Sihota has appointed Stephen

Kelleher to try to mediate an

end to the labor dispute be-

tween the Hospital Employees Union (HEU) and the
Health Labor Relations Association (HLRA).

Kelleher, who was appointed as
an industrial inquiry commissioner
by Sihota on Thursday, has until
Tuesday to report back to Sihota
and to make recommendations on
how to end the labor dispute.

But the recommendations will
not be binding on either side.

In the meantime, Sihota asked
the HEY co refrain from any fur-
ther job action until Kelleher

By Surj Rattan
News Reporter

dent of the HEU local at LGH,
said the union doesn’t intend to
disrupt patient care.
Gardner and other HEU
members held a rally Thursday
morning in tront of North Vaa-

NEWS photo Mike Wakefield

LGH MANAGEMENT were caught off guard Thursday morning
when about 250 HEU members employed at the hospitai walked
ott the job to back contract demands.

reports back to him.

The HEU subsequently agreed
jate Thursday to withhold any
further job action until Tuesday
and agreed to meet Friday morn-
ing with Kelleher.

Picket lines at various health
care facilities were removed after
the union’s decision.

But Lions Gate Hospital (LGH)
management were caught off
guard Thursday morning when
about 250 HEU members
employed at the hospital walked
off the job to back contract de-
mands.

Hospital president Bob Smith
said non-essential HEU members
walked out of all departments ex-
cept nursing and nutrition ser-
vices.

LGH consequently started
cancelling surgeries on Thursday
morning.

“This is a fairly dramatic
escalation of what they had been
doing in the past. We were not
expecting this. It’s a much harder
hit than before,”’ said Smith.

The HEU broke off negotia-
tions with the HLRA on Monday.

On Wednesday the HEU set up
picket fines at some Lower
Mainland hospitals.

As of Thursday, Smith said 100
beds had been closed at LGH.

But Clarke Gardner, the presi-

couver-Lonsdale NDP MLA
David Schreck’s office.

“The HLRA keeps putting the
same contract on the table, the
same contract we rejected by over
80%. The members are disap-
pointed that we don’t have a con-
tract,"' said Gardner. he citi-
zens of North Vancouver deserve
good quality health care.”’

Gardner said he was surprised
to hear that LGH_ had started
cancelling surgeries on Thursday
morning. He said there was no
need for the cancellations.

“As far as I know we've had no
major problems at the hospital. 1
don’t know why they’re cancelling
surgeries. That’s the first I’ve
heard about it,’’ said Gardner.

Gardner said Schreck and the
NDP government will have to take
measures to get the HLRA to of-
fer the union an acceptable con-
tract.

“The new kid on the block
routine doesn't wash anymore,”’
said Gardner. ‘‘Everything that is
being written about the health
care system is not good. We all
have the same concern about pa-
tient care.”

Schreck said Thursday that he
hoped an agreement would be
reached between the two sides
over the Easter weekend.

Jamal nine

REACHING

$T VANCOUVER

Smile! Photography
special feature: 19

Yall ship trip: 29

Ctassitieds 986-6222 Distribution 986-1337

NEWS photo Paul McGrsth

Happy Easter

REV. DAVID 0.G. Tatchell pauses in front of a stained glass window at St. Francis-In-The-
Wood Anglican church in West Vancouver. Today, Easter Sunday, Christians commemorate
the resurrection of Christ. Easter is always celebrated during tie first full moon after the ver-

nal equinox.

VERY DOOR ON THE NORTH SHORE SINCE 1969