Union members from across Canada who work for Canadian Blood Services gathered in Manitoba this week to discuss issues they face in the workplace and to talk about solutions. 

Almost 40 members from eight unions gathered for a two-day meeting in Winnipeg. They discussed issues such as workload, precarious work, sporadic work shifts, and the looming threat of paid plasma collection clinics. The group also talked about ways to move forward collectively in dealing with these issues.

The meeting, which wrapped up yesterday, comes just days before the CBS clinic in Brandon is set to close tomorrow.

“Despite our plea to the CEO of CBS and our willingness to find ways we can help the clinic, it looks like they will continue with their plan and close the clinic,” said Michelle Gawronsky, MGEU President. “At a time when CBS continues to advertise that the need for blood is high, they are eliminating clinics for donors to visit.”

The Brandon clinic joins the list of several closures across the country in recent years. Reports from CBC cite clinics in Dalhousie, New Brunswick, Corner Brook, Newfoundland, Sydney, Nova Scotia and Prince George, British Columbia which have all been shut down in the last two years.