PAGE 14, WHITY FREE PRESS, WEDNESDAY, FMERUARY 28t,1990 Hospital employees protest slow Pace of negotiations By Mike Kowaldki Direct care workers at Wbitby Psychiatric Hospital took to the' street again iast week to protest their iack of a collective agree- ment. A aMail group of psychiatric nursing assistants andfother ho.- pital emloymbraved a pouring, frain Thursdaây for an information Épicket lime at the corner of Wic- toraa nd Gordon streets. ,hy were part ofapovne wide demonstration by members of, the Ontario Pub lic Service Employees 'Union (OPSEU) to proteet the slow pace of negotia- tone with the provicial govern- ment. A 'similiar demonstration occurred four weeks ago, and according to OPSEU representa- tive Pat Rooney, wili -continue «until we achievejustice.» About 5,300 institutional care workers across the province are involved in the dispute. Approi- mately 300 are employed at the Whitby hospital. They have been without a con- tract since last December. Bar- gaining with the Province is now in the mediation stage, the asat step in negotiations beifore bind- Reuio.i seeking *a 15. per cent wage increase across the board, pius -a further $1,00 annually in the form of risk pay. Unioni officiais say workers are frequently assaulted by unrul gatients, hence the. need for tnaddition to monetary and safety concerne, the union also wants job security and beefed-up staffmg levels. iRooney said the union is hop- %ngpublic pressure on provincial politicians will produce a satis- factory settiement. .He i. asing Durham Region residents to contact their MPPs te "have them influence the governmnet.bargainin--.g teamn 'The problem is not just money we also want a safe workpface for our members.» Because they are governed by the, Crown Employees Collectve Bargatining Act,, the OPSEU members are legally prohibited froin striking. INSTTUTINALcare -workers at Whitby Psychiatrie Hospital took to the streets again last week to protest the slow pace of thefr contract nego- tiations with the Ontario governmnent. Free Prem photo Quality,. health care m a joint' responsibility, says medical offioer 12 114%.- 15 m 18 months WORK FOR Ini the iatest year, Trimark Canadian Fund investors earned Latent 3& 5 yer performnance to November 30,1989 wam 14.9% and 16.2% rcpatlvely. Or course, putt performance i. not. noccsaily Indicative of future rasuilt. OlTered by prompectus only. Please cail: ýTPA INVESTMENT LANNING CENTRE 22 ATHOL ST.-, WHITBY 666M0896 . 2291% MNISLY Or M.UTUAL FUrJOS TPA INVESTMENT PLANNING CENTRE 122 ATHOL ST. Wbitby: 666-0896 t ,',,,a,,,,,J,,5< I f t '~'~è'f~.f* f I I 4 f * i J *f*j>î>v 4 ~ By Trudie Zavadovie 'An ounce of prevention i. worth a pound of -cure' is the philosophy of 'Durham Project 2000,' a health care initiative, presented te rel onai council by Durham Region s acting médical bealth officer last week.- A co-operative effort of healthy learning and healthy living is vital t e lp prevent disease and impo0 the current heaith care situation in Durham Region. Health care bas reached crisis proportin in Durham Regin anadOntario, in termis of spend- ing, facilities and raeeting teday's needs. Dr. StephenGole facting, medical officer of health for D urbain Region, alerted council te the current situation and some of the reasons for it. "Ini the last 10 years, the cost of heaith care in Ontario bas risen by 63.4 per cent, while the provincial economy bas grownb only 42.7 per cent," saidG,&,dl «Onýe in every three tax dollars in Ontario goes te health care, up from one in every four, a deca e ago. The Ministry .of Heaith spending bas more than tripied in 10 years from just under $4- billion in 1978 te $12.6-billion in. 1988.» Gold stated that four facters that have contributed te the'in- crease in cost and taxing of resources are aging population, (bie said that tbere is an mncrease of 10Oper cent per year of persons over 85 years old), apliictiono costiy technology pput lic expe- tations, and unkeaithy pub lic lifestyle habits. He cited tobacco as the leading pre ventabie cause of iii heaith in Ontario. The report states that 90 per cent o f ail circuiatery diseases, chronic bronchitis and emphysema, 80 per cent of al iung cancer, 50 per cent of pan- creatic cancer deaths, and 30 per cent of ail heart attacks are caused by smoking. Tobacco also causes one-third of ail strokes. Smokers have a 16 per cent greater risk of deveioping cancer of the larynx; .up te mmne times the chance of deveiopin esophia- geai cancer; and a for-od risk of oral cancer. Both- bladder and kidney cancer are 31 per cent more frequent in female smokers aùd 40 per oent more frequent in maie smokers. In Durhamn Region 34 per cent of the aduit population smoke, 6.3 per cent o f grade 7 students and 23 per cent of grade 10 students smoke cigarets. lIn total, 25 per cent of the teenage popu- lation smoke. Between 1973 and 1984 in Durham Region 37.4 per cent of females died of heart disease, cancer of the breast and genito- urinary systen,- and 58 per cent of maies died of heart disease and cancer of the trachea, lung bronchus and digestive organs. "Many of these deaths could have been prevented » said Gold. He brought with bini one of bis patients, Claude Parker, who is hap y and lucky te be alive. As you shahl see Mr. Parker i. a very iucky man - a credit te our current bealtb system. Mr Par- ker was born in the Maritimes. He moved te, Durhamn at about 20 years of age. To me, he represents the 'sait of the earth' resident. Initiaily, he was employed as a farým laborer. Then he worked 29 years for General Moters before needing the services of the bealtb care system.' "At age 56 he bad a heart attack and spent one week in the bospital and six week convales- ing He later had a lracbecomy and was found, te have cancer of the larynx. He underwent six weeks of radiation and later had, his voice box removed.» 1Parker now bas an electronic voice box. He started smoking at afe 16 and bythe tiie hestoppeâ ad worked up te smokinig three- and--haftofour packs a day Goid estimated tbat ParkZers cost te the beaith care system bas been $100,000 excluding amy costs te the faniily. Durhamn Project 2000 empbas- izes a ideal approach of good educational guidance in the early years te achieve one's potential in life. "On the surface of things, Dur- bamn Project 2000 may be percei- ved simly as an- attack on smok- ers and boozers,'» said Gold. «While probably beneficial, in geeral these approaches deai wth only some of the forces behind d[isease in our cem- munity.' «For most individuals, higb- risk habits are innocently taken on durine the teenage years - a turne of hife when we are easiy influemced by peers and. concer- ned more for the experience of the moment than preparation for the future. For some, however, these bebaviors are taken on as an escape froin intelerable situa- tions. In fact, heaitb is an ail- encompassing term and in xnany cases.disease originates as rnucb from family/social neglect as it does froin alcobol, cigarets, or street drugs. m»Ie meed for joinimg, forces with 'social services,-, becomes evident.» "Durham Project 2000 focuses, oni education in. areas of preven-- tien of tebacco and -suEbstance. abuse, nutrition promotion, phy- .1 sical activity and sexuai health,[ý te naine a few. The input of, residents and groups within Dur-, bai Region is a key element of~ Durham Project'2000.' Changes" in public health occur when> ordinary people work tegether to improve their enviromment and. their heaitb practices.» "The Departnuent of Heaitb Services is mandated te ensure institution of xnandatery bealtb, programis over tbe, mext three years, beginning with- tobacco- use prevention, bealthy cbildren, healthy eiderly, *and nutrition promo tien in 190. Gold closed by saLying, e hope that the next decade will present a decade of increasing, awareness of beaitb for the resi- dents of Durhamn Region. Dur-'4 bain Project,'2000 represents a, vision of a bealthier tomorrow.,, Weý hope- you wil grasp our. vision and work witb us by fos-* ,terimg these ittitudes, policies.,' and etbics wbich wili pr ooea, bheaithier community. Olyby- tbe active participation of many- players in our cemmunitycan we. succeed.» In answering questions fromn council menubers, wbo were botb encouraged and supportive of the project Gold said, «We look at ourrolIe as catalysts. We will work with any groups and do wbatever we can te implement the project.and te assist thein ta When asked, with regard te, the mew. budget, if hie felt the p rogrami wouid be well funded, he said, «Funds may be avail- able, if the political will is there." Slide presentation YMCA Camp Pýinecrest offers an exciting -experienoe for boy and girls 7 to 15 years amid the Muskokas. Pinecrest combines the traditions of residential camping and . wilderness adventures witb water sports,, canoe tri ps arts and crafts, sports , arcb"ery, orienteering and many other camp activities. A élide presentation will be presented at the WVhitby YMCA, 814 Brock St. N. on Thursday, Marcb 29 at 7 pa. For further. information cail 683-4093 or 668.6868. BEST RRSP m GIC RATE 1 -1 à is YourRSP Short-Changing Your Future? à -,