The Hospital Employees Union will be talking with Interior Health the next few months to see how local unionized jobs can be protected.
This from Communications Director Mike Old with IH facing about $10 million in laundry equipment upgrades which could force them to contract the service out to private companies.
Old says up to 17 full-time jobs could be at stake in Nelson -which is a regional laundry hub.
About a hundred laundry employees are involved across the health region.
IH says laundry equipment is not a funding priority and the private sector will be invited to express interest in handling the service.