The union representing workers at the local plasma centre is accusing Canadian Blood Services of buying U.S. plasma while they prepare to shut down the Thunder Bay centre.
CBS announced last Thursday that it would close the Thunder Bay centre April 12, citing a surplus in plasma. But the Ontario Public Service Employees Union says CBS claims they don’t need Thunder Bay’s 10,000-yearly donations yet purchased 20,000 units from south-of-the-border.
“They’re importing the plasma and exporting the jobs. These are jobs that should be done here and we’re fighting to keep them. We think it’s a bad move,” OPSEU staff representative Len Mason said Thursday afternoon.
The union is also warning that the World Health Organization has raised issues of paid donations like the US system as opposed to the volunteers in Canada.
“(Paid) people may not always tell the truth when they’re doing the screening to give blood,” Mason said.
OPSEU is meeting with CBS management next week in order to find a way to keep the doors open. Mason said even if there is a surplus, why not just close the centre temporarily until demand rises again.
Still his main concern is for the 28 people who are losing their jobs. OPSEU Local 716 vice-president Sean Patterson said it hit staff hard when they were told the centre would close.
“The mood here it’s almost like a funeral,” he said.
A rally will be held next Wednesday outside of CBS starting at 12 p.m.
Officials from the Canadian Blood Services could not be reached for comment.
