The residents of Brandon and surrounding areas have been hit with some bad news: Canadian Blood Services will be closing their Brandon facility.
“We have a dozen members at CBS in Brandon, many of whom have put in more than 20 years recruiting local blood donors and forging bonds with their “regulars,”" said MGEU President Michelle Gawronsky. “We’re disappointed and concerned that the community is losing this resource.”
Fifteen employees -- twelve who belong to MGEU and three who belong to the Manitoba Nurses’ Union -- will be laid off as of June 8, 2017. A lack of blood supply was given as a reason for the closure.
“In so many cases, blood is literally life,” Gawronsky said. “The people of Westman need this service as much as anyone else. Yet at this point, I’m not sure anyone can say what impact this closure may have on successful outcomes for patients in the area. ”
The CBS Brandon location was open three days per week. Now, CBS Mobile units staffed by workers from the Winnipeg office will visit Brandon once every two weeks.
“Understandably, our members are upset about losing their jobs,” Gawronsky said. “But it’s also a big loss for all of Westman. The area will be losing workers who play a vital role in encouraging and maintaining blood donation levels in the community. Plus it’s never easy for a city like Brandon to see jobs cut and shifted to a larger centre.”