Ontario Nurses' Association, Algoma Public Health working on new collective agreement
A total of 85 public health nurses, registered nurses and nurse practitioners at Algoma Public Health Unit began mandatory conciliation Friday with their employer as they seek to negotiate a new collective agreement.
The 85 Ontario Nurses' Association (ONA) members have been without a contract since April 1 of this year.
"The work of our dedicated and skilled nurses is absolutely vital during the COVID-19 pandemic," ONA President Vicki McKenna, RN, is quoted as saying in a news release.
"They have worked in case and contact management –including monitoring clients for any changes in condition – supported community partners such as workplaces and schools, and delivered vaccinations in a mass immunization program."
In addition to pandemic work, McKenna said nurses provide clinical services to the approximately 119,000 residents in the District of Algoma (including Wawa, White River, Elliott Lake, Blind River, and Thessalon).
Services include Healthy Babies/Healthy Children visits, lactation consultation services, sexually transmitted infection testing and treatment, HIV/AIDS rapid testing, affordable birth control, infection control of communicable diseases, immunization clinics and smoking cessation supports.
"The nurses who work at Algoma Public Health Unit are dedicated to ensuring the best health for their communities," McKenna said.
"From pandemic response to prenatal support for mothers and support for families, youth services, seniors' services, control and treatment of infectious diseases, their care and knowledge continues to be there for people whenever they need it."
To date, ONA has had six days of negotiations with the health unit.
"Nurses have been through a tremendous amount of ongoing change to their working conditions during the deadly global pandemic, leading to increasing amounts of stress, exhaustion and burnout," McKenna said.
"We expect the employer to come prepared to offer a fair contract so nurses can continue to deliver excellent services to the community. ONA members always prefer to reach a negotiated settlement, and we encourage this employer to not force nurses to strike."
ONA is the union representing more than 68,000 registered nurses and health-care professionals, as well as 18,000 nursing student affiliates, providing care in hospitals, long-term care, public health, the community, clinics, and industry.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Rare severe solar storm Friday could bring spectacular aurora light show across Canada
A rare and severe solar storm is expected to bring spectacular displays of the northern lights, also known as aurora borealis, across much of Canada and parts of the United States on Friday night.
Which Canadian cities have the highest and lowest grocery prices?
Where you live plays a big factor in what you pay at the grocery store. And while it's no secret the same item may have a different price depending on the store, city or province, we wanted to see just how big the differences are, and why.
BREAKING McGill University seeks emergency injunction to remove pro-Palestinian encampment from campus
McGill University has filed a request for an injunction to have the pro-Palestinian encampment removed from its campus.
Swarm of 20,000 bees gather around woman’s car west of Toronto
A swarm of roughly 20,000 bees gathered around a woman’s car in the parking lot of Burlington Centre.
U.S. says Israel's use of U.S. arms likely violated international law, but evidence is incomplete
The Biden administration said Friday that Israel's use of U.S.-provided weapons in Gaza likely violated international humanitarian law but wartime conditions prevented U.S. officials from determining that for certain in specific airstrikes.
'State or state-sponsored actor' believed to be behind B.C. government hacks
The head of British Columbia’s civil service has revealed that a “state or state-sponsored actor” is behind multiple cyber-security incidents against provincial government networks.
Mother assaulted by stranger while breastfeeding baby in her car: Vancouver police
A person was arrested in East Vancouver Thursday after allegedly entering a car while a mother was breastfeeding her four-month-old boy.
More than half the Canadians once detained in Syrian camps for suspected ISIS family members have returned home
A total of 29 Canadians have been freed from detention camps in northeast Syria and brought back to Canada since human rights advocates began lobbying for their release years ago.
Canada abstains from Palestinian UN membership vote but supports two-state solution
Canada was one of 25 countries that abstained from a United Nations vote on Palestinian membership that passed with overwhelming support on Friday.