Nurses. File photo courtesy of © Can Stock Photo / jcpjrNurses. File photo courtesy of © Can Stock Photo / jcpjr
Sarnia

Contract talks for Ontario nurses break down

The Ontario Nurses' Association says contract talks with the Ontario Hospital Association have broken down and will head to arbitration in early May.

The two sides met with a mediator this week, but the ONA reported they were too far apart.

"This round of negotiations has been incredibly difficult and frustrating," said ONA Interim President Bernie Robinson. "ONA's elected bargaining team went into talks with a strong and clear set of priorities that come from our front lines."

Negotiations started in January, and nurses want better staffing levels at hospitals across the province and better pay.

"Nurses are fed up with this government and employers expressing appreciation for the work we do, while simultaneously failing to provide working conditions that truly show the value of what we do," said Robinson. "This system is being held together by the nurses and healthcare professionals who have shown incredible dedication to their patients. Words are empty. What counts is a contract that provides better staffing levels, wages and benefits so that we can provide better patient care."

On Thursday, nurses rallied outside the hotel where contract talks took place.

The last time the ONA had a negotiated contract was in 2011, and Robinson said the association would prefer an agreement at the bargaining table.

"The need to recruit and retain nurses is more urgent than it's ever been," she said. "Our nurses and healthcare professionals are highly educated and valued by employers in other jurisdictions. They have options and are leaving the profession, the public sector, or the province to work where they receive respect."

She urged Ontarians to contact their MPPs to voice their concerns.

The union represents more than 68,000 registered nurses, healthcare professionals, and nursing student affiliates working in hospitals, long-term care facilities, clinics, and the community.

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