MEDIA ADVISORY: What does Hamilton think about local patient food VS. factory food?

Opinion poll to be released tomorrow


HAMILTON, ONTARIO--(Marketwired - June 22, 2015) - Hamilton residents and local farmers have a clear preference when it comes to hospital patient food, shows a public opinion poll conducted earlier this month.

Hamilton Health Sciences (HHS) has been publicly defending shutting down the hospital kitchens and contracting out patient meals to a global food processing corporation outside of Hamilton.

The Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE) 7800, representing nearly 4,000 HHS employees including dietary staff, commissioned the poll.

Polling results will be released at a media conference tomorrow, Tuesday, June 23 at 10:30 a.m. on 35 York Blvd. in front of the Hamilton Farmers Market.

"The findings are consistent with the buy local sustainability movements that are becoming common in many Ontario communities. What HHS wants to do - outsource patient meals to a factory operation - is the exact opposite of supporting local community initiatives, business and farmers. There is real appetite in Hamilton to improve the quality of patient meals," says Dave Murphy, CUPE 7800 president.

Nancy Henley a local chef and cooking instructor (Tree House Kitchen) will join Murphy at tomorrow's media conference. Henley believes that a local food solution, with meals cooked in hospital kitchens is best for convalescing patients.

Tomorrow Henley will make public a letter she's sent to the HHS board of directors who will be voting to approve or reject the factory-food deal later this week at its Thursday, June 25 meeting. CUPE 7800 is scheduled to make a presentation to the HHS board at 3:00 p.m. Thursday.

Contact Information:

Stella Yeadon
CUPE Communications
416-559-9300