Member Information
Member Orientation
ONA was founded in 1973 by 85 independent nurses’ associations from across Ontario to provide representation, labour relations and services for health-care professionals by health-care professionals.
The intervening years show the strength of our movement. We are now Ontario’s largest health care-focused union and the largest nurses’ union in Canada.
We’re a member-led movement. We’re more than 68,000 nurses and health-care professionals strong, with an additional 18,000 nursing student affiliates, who together provide care in hospitals, long-term care, public health, the community, clinics and industry.
We’re in this together. We are one ONA.
A union is formed when employees decide they want to speak with one strong, collective voice. We are built and led by members’ needs and priorities. Our members are organized into more than 500 Bargaining Units in 60+ Locals across Ontario.
You elect your executives and representatives who work with ONA staff to improve your working conditions and maintain and enforce your rights in the workplace. Our leaders also link you and your colleagues with our broader membership and the Board of Directors, bringing your concerns forward and building a strong province-wide network of support. We show up together. We fight for each other and for those who can’t fight for themselves.
As a union for nurses and health-care professionals, we devote all our resources to advancing the interests of workers in health-care settings. We are experts who represent and assist our members in:
We fight every day for a fair workplace for nurses and health-care professionals, starting at the local level. We have achieved many significant enhancements to our members’ working conditions thanks in part to our provincial bargaining processes.
As an ONA member, you have protection at your workplace against unfair practices and unsafe work conditions. Your workplace rights are outlined in a collective agreement (or contract).
Your collective agreement (a legal contract between ONA and your employer) outlines your terms and conditions of employment, including pay rates and entitlements to such benefits as statutory holidays, vacations, sick leave, short- and long-term disability, pension and mileage. It contains clauses about seniority rights, job postings, job security, hours of work and the grievance procedure (including arbitration) used to enforce collective agreement rights. Most also include unique language about professional responsibility and workload — critical tools to protect health-care professionals and patients/clients/ residents that you won’t find anywhere else.
ONA’s collective agreements are negotiated recognizing that you work in facilities that often operate 24/7, 365 days a year. Scheduling language ensures that work schedules are more predictable and help balance your personal life, which is hugely important to your overall well-being.
We know it’s tough on the front lines. We’ve been yelled at, humiliated and put in harm’s way. But as a powerful and experienced union, we will not be silenced. We speak up where we see employer policies and government decisions that impact our ability to provide quality care. And we don’t give up. After all, when we all come together on a common issue, we’re hard to ignore.
ONA is a platform for local action. We’re a grassroots movement. It’s how we came to be and how we grow. Our specialists mobilize and empower members in developing and executing campaigns that tackle the unique issues faced in the workplace.
We play an important role in influencing policy and making legislative changes to improve working conditions for health-care workers. Our government relations experts arrange regular meetings with government ministers, policymakers and legislators to ensure that our voice is heard loud and clear.
We initiate major public awareness and advocacy campaigns on issues that impact nurses and health-care professionals. Our award-winning marketing campaigns spur thoughtful discussions and actions for positive change.
Media relations helps us gain public support for staffing levels, worker and patient safety, quality patient care in our various sectors, and other topics of concern.
The services and benefits we provide are funded by membership dues. Dues make the work of fighting for workplace rights possible.
ONA membership dues are a flat rate – a set amount that you pay monthly through payroll deductions after your first collective agreement is ratified. You can deduct union dues from your taxable income.
The collection of union dues is a democratic and transparent process, from start to finish. At Biennial Conventions, our members vote on the dues structure and any increases, along with how they are spent.
ONA’s Legal Expense Assistance Plan (LEAP) was established in 1980 to help you with legal or regulatory body problems relating to your work. This includes problems that arise under Ontario’s Regulated Health Professions Act (RHPA).
LEAP is here to help you with the following situations:
All registered nurses, graduate nurses and health-care professionals for whom ONA is the bargaining agent, and who are regularly paying dues, are covered by the plan.
When a hospital or other health-care employer is sued by a patient or family for alleged negligence, individual nurses will often be named in the lawsuit, together with the employer and physicians. The hospital has an obligation to carry malpractice insurance covering its employees who may be sued for negligent care.
In addition, we have purchased a Professional Liability Insurance Policy from Trisura Guaranteed Insurance Company (“the Trisura Policy”) for our members. It offers secondary coverage for our members in certain circumstances. The Trisura Policy is an excess insurance policy, designed to provide coverage in addition to the coverage that is carried by health-care employers where ONA is the bargaining agent.
Malpractice insurance protects our members who, as a result of practicing their profession, are found negligent and must pay damages. This insurance provides up to $1.5 million in coverage per incident to a maximum of $6 million per member (punitive and exemplary damages are excluded). Provided they regularly pay dues or the equivalent to ONA, all members are automatically covered (subject to the conditions and limitations of the plan). It’s one less thing on your mind during an already difficult time.
As an ONA member, you have access to our benefits program through Johnson Insurance. Your ONA Base Plan is covered through your union dues ($2.50 per month) and includes Critical Illness Coverage and Long-Term Disability Coverage.
ONA members under the age of 75 may be eligible for a lump sum benefit payment of $3,750 for part-time/casual members or $7,500 for full-time members without any additional premium if diagnosed with life threatening cancer, stroke, heart attack, benign brain tumour, coronary artery bypass surgery, aortic surgery, occupational HIV or Hepatitis C.
Base Plan disability income protection is the first step towards helping to protect one of your most valuable assets – your income. If you are under the age of 65 and you do not have employer-sponsored LTD coverage, you are covered and may be eligible for $250 of monthly LTD benefit, should you become disabled due to illness or injury.
ONA has created an easy-to-use online portal for our members. Access ONA is a convenient and secure one-stop shop where you can:
New ONA members will receive an invitation email with a personalized link to register to use Access ONA.
If you didn’t receive an email containing your personal link to register for Access ONA, contact our IT HelpDesk at gro.a1733255563no@ks1733255563eDple1733255563H1733255563 or 1-800-387-5580, ext. 2328.
Some of our chartered local associations maintain their own websites. Check out your Local website for information about local meetings, your executive team and news that impacts you and your colleagues.
Follow us on your favourite social media channels for the most up-to-date news and information that affects you and your colleagues. We share:
ONA members can also join the private ONA Members Facebook group
Read Front Lines magazine, our award-winning flagship publication. Produced four times a year, Front Lines includes important updates, member stories, awards, wins and more!
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