Nurses at Lambton Public Health Reach Agreement

SARNIA, ON., November 8, 2024 – More than 40 registered nurses at Lambton Public Health, members of the Ontario Nurses’ Association (ONA), have a new three-year collective agreement with their employer, reached during conciliation. Fair wages, hours of work, and improved benefits were key issues at the negotiation table.

“The working conditions of nurses and health-care professionals are the conditions of care for patients,” explains Erin Ariss, Registered Nurse and Provincial President of ONA. “When you improve their wages and work-life balance the whole community benefits. I’m confident these changes will help retain nurses and ensure that they don’t fall even further behind.”

At the beginning of the pandemic these registered nurses were called heroes, but leading up to conciliation, they were frustrated by their employer’s lack of respect and fairness. To put pressure on the employer, nurses organized a public information picket to raise awareness about their bargaining demands.

ONA members at Lambton Public Health strongly believe that their organizing and the community’s support helped push the employer to negotiate a fair contract. The nurses are grateful to community members and allied unions who supported them in their fight for fairness.

With nurses’ top priorities addressed in the new agreement, they are eager to continue providing the high quality and timely care the community needs and deserves.

Despite the gains achieved in their new contract, nurses indicated that they will continue to advocate for better funding from the provincial government for public health units, alongside nurses from across the province.

ONA is the union representing 68,000 registered nurses and health-care professionals, as well as 18,000 nursing students, providing care in hospitals, long-term care facilities, public health, the community, clinics and industry.

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To arrange an interview, contact:

ONA Media Relations, media@ona.org