On Friday, September 29, President Thomas and Region 4 RVP Gareth Jones met with Kingston and the Islands MPP Sophie Kiwala at her constituency office to discuss the crisis in Kingston health care funding. The meeting was open and productive. Thomas outlined the impact that the current funding crisis has on patients, workers and the community. For her part Kiwala was fully engaged and pledged to continue to be an active voice for Kingston health care.

“I’ve been around long enough to know that face to face dialogue can, and often does produce results. It’s part of the process. If dialogue doesn’t work, we have other tools available. I’m pleased that Ms. Kiwala took time on constituency day to listen and learn our perspective.”

Thomas, a lifelong Kingston area resident, worked much of his adult life in health care at what is now known as Kingston Providence Care. Thomas was emphatic that this is a fight we won’t give up on.

“Health care is a system. If one part of that system is underfunded we risk having the whole thing collapsing like a house of cards. OPSEU will continue to be the real voice for health care and never give up until the funding crisis is addressed. It’s who we are. It’s in our DNA.”