Housekeeping services may escape privatization at new Okanagan hospitals

Canadian Press

VERNON, B.C. - The Interior Health Authority may be backing off on plans to privatize housekeeping services once the Vernon and Kelowna hospitals are expanded in B.C.'s Okanagan.CEO Murray Ramsden says the maintenance component has been pulled from the request for proposals from three teams bidding to design, build and maintain the new buildings.He says officials "were not satisfied" the bidders met the requirements during the request for quotation stage.But Ramsden says the move was made because of "certain standards" expected in a long-term contract, not union pressure.The Hospital Employees Union has been fighting plans to privatize the cleaning positions, saying it will cost hundreds of jobs and put patient safety at risk.But Ramsden says privatization of the maintenance services is still a possibility.