Grey Bruce Public Health Nurses Head to Conciliation
TORONTO – The 44 full- and part-time public health nurses working for the Grey Bruce Public Health Unit have filed to take their contract dispute to conciliation.
The public health nurses – members of the Ontario Nurses' Association – have been without a contract since December 31, 2007.
“ONA and the employer remain far apart on issues around wages and benefits,” says co-Bargaining Unit President Helen Risteen, RN. “When we compare our contract with other Ontario health units, Grey Bruce nurses are in the bottom one-third in every aspect.”
Linda Haslam-Stroud, RN, President of ONA says, “Public health nurses are the foundation of health care in Ontario, and perform work that is vital to the health of the community. They deserve to be fairly compensated for the value they provide to all of us,” she said.
Public health nurses provide a range of health services in the community including health education and promotion, outbreak protection including flu and hepatitis vaccine clinics, and provide sexual health clinics and education .
ONA is the union representing 54,000 front-line registered nurses and allied health professionals working in Ontario hospitals, long-term care facilities, public health, the community and industry. ONA is celebrating 35 years of nursing advocacy – a proud past, a powerful future.