OPSEU/SEFPO: Permanently end for-profit plasma collection to protect public health

Skip to Content News Archives Economy Energy Oil & Gas Renewables Electric Vehicles Mining Commodities Agriculture Real Estate Mortgages Mortgage Rates Finance Banking Insurance Fintech Cryptocurrency Work Wealth Smart Money Wealth Management Investor Personal Finance Family Finance Retirement Taxes High Net Worth FP Comment Executive Women Puzzmo Newsletters Financial Times Business Essentials More Innovation Information Technology FP500 Podcasts Small Business Lives Told Tails Told Shopping Financial Post Store Obituaries Place a Notice Advertising Advertising With Us Advertising Solutions Postmedia Ad Manager Sponsorship Requests Classifieds Place a Classifieds ad Working Profile Settings My Subscriptions Saved Articles My Offers Newsletters Customer Service FAQ News Economy Energy Mining Real Estate Finance Work Wealth Investor FP Comment Executive Women Puzzmo Newsletters Financial Times Business Essentials This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below.HomeGlobeNewswireThis section is The content in this section is supplied by GlobeNewswire for the purposes of distributing press releases on behalf of its clients. Postmedia has not reviewed the content. by GlobeNewswire OPSEU/SEFPO: Permanently end for-profit plasma collection to protect public healthAuthor of the article: You can save this article by registering for free here. Or sign-in if you have an account.Toronto, Aug. 14, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — The union that represents Canadian Blood Services (CBS) workers in Ontario is calling for an immediate termination of the blood-plasma collection contract with for-profit Spanish pharmaceutical company Grifols. THIS CONTENT IS RESERVED FOR SUBSCRIBERS ONLYSubscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada.Exclusive articles from Barbara Shecter, Joe O'Connor, Gabriel Friedman, and others.Daily content from Financial Times, the world's leading global business publication.Unlimited online access to read articles from Financial Post, National Post and 15 news sites across Canada with one account.National Post ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition to view on any device, share and comment on.Daily puzzles, including the New York Times Crossword.SUBSCRIBE TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLESSubscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada.Exclusive articles from Barbara Shecter, Joe O'Connor, Gabriel Friedman and others.Daily content from Financial Times, the world's leading global business publication.Unlimited online access to read articles from Financial Post, National Post and 15 news sites across Canada with one account.National Post ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition to view on any device, share and comment on.Daily puzzles, including the New York Times Crossword.REGISTER / SIGN IN TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLESCreate an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience.Access articles from across Canada with one account.Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments.Enjoy additional articles per month.Get email updates from your favourite authors.THIS ARTICLE IS FREE TO READ REGISTER TO UNLOCK.Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience.Access articles from across Canada with one accountShare your thoughts and join the conversation in the commentsEnjoy additional articles per monthGet email updates from your favourite authorsSign In or Create an AccountOPSEU/SEFPO is also calling for an ironclad commitment to ensure that blood and plasma services are never again operated on a for-profit basis. Two people died after donating plasma at Grifols-operated facilities in Winnipeg in October 2025 and January 2026. Health Canada data indicates that at least 25 serious adverse reactions have been reported at Grifols clinics since 2018. This week, Health Canada issued a non-compliance rating to Grifols following an inspection of one of its Winnipeg sites. Shortly afterwards, Grifols announced on August 13 that it is “pausing” all plasma collection in Canada effective August 14. Get the latest headlines, breaking news and columns.By signing up you consent to receive the above newsletter from Postmedia Network Inc.A welcome email is on its way. If you don't see it, please check your junk folder.The next issue of Top Stories will soon be in your inbox.We encountered an issue signing you up. Please try again“This announcement is long overdue but does not go far enough. Beyond a pause on for-profit plasma collection, the contract with Grifols should be cancelled immediately, and we need a guarantee that this will never happen again,” said OPSEU/SEFPO Blood Services and Diagnostics Sector Chair Brent MacPherson. “There is now a mountain of evidence that confirms our worst fears about the privatization of plasma collection. This dangerous outsourcing should never have been permitted in the first place. The Ford government must take immediate action to safeguard the health of Ontarians,” said OPSEU/SEFPO President JP Hornick. Grifols facilities in Ontario, New Brunswick, Saskatchewan, and Alberta have also received non-compliant ratings from Health Canada. Issues have included improper screening of donors for suitability, cleaning and maintenance of equipment, and investigation of errors and accidents. CBS workers have been sounding the alarm for years that a for-profit blood-plasma donation model is exploitative and could put donors’ health at serious risk. They recently achieved a strong blow against privatization by securing a new collective agreement that will ensure any new CBS collection sites in Ontario will be represented by OPSEU/SEFPO under a single, unified contract. Paid blood donation is banned in Ontario. This is in accordance with the Voluntary Blood Donations Act (2014) that was brought into law following recommendations by the Krever Inquiry regarding the tainted blood scandal in the 1980s. However, CBS took advantage of a legal loophole in 2022 to circumvent the Act, signing a 15-year blood-plasma collection partnership with Grifols. “Governments must prioritize public health by ensuring that blood and plasma services are solely delivered by public providers with the highest possible standards,” added Hornick. Ryan Hayes Ontario Public Service Employees Union / Syndicat des employés de la fonction publique de l'Ontario (OPSEU/SEFPO) 416-706-6632 rhayes@opseu.org This advertisement has not loaded yet.Notice for the Postmedia NetworkThis website uses cookies to personalize your content (including ads), and allows us to analyze our traffic. Read more about cookies here. By continuing to use our site, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.