To the Editor,
Re: Class size limits are government’s responsibility, Letters, Feb. 25.
This is in reply to the comment regarding the increase in class sizes being the responsibility of the business to adjust according to sound business practices.
The problem that I have is that I am in HEU and our contract is due to expire in March. A few years back when we were legislated back to work with a 15-per cent wage decrease, at the same time the executives of most of the health regions all got wage increases.
To run a proper business, you need to look at the overall picture, including that the people on the bottom are the ones who actually bring in the money and/or do the (dirty work) job.
I understand that the people in the blue collar jobs in health care do not actually make any money for the bosses, as this is not really a make-money business, but they do provide a safe environment for the patients and workers.
One other upsetting piece of information to think about is that prisoners are treated and fed better than a patient treated for being sick – a lot of the food now provided to patients is frozen and flown in from back east. This food has high salt and preservative content and low nutritional value.
Thankfully this is not the case in Nanaimo or most of Vancouver Island health region.
So my question is: if we are to run sound business practices, maybe we should be looking higher up the ladder to be making cutbacks, maybe even our politicians, who make large salaries.
A.G. Baker
Nanaimo