WATERLOO, ON, November 5, 2025 – More than 120 registered nurses, members of the Ontario Nurses’ Association (ONA), reached a new collective agreement with the Region of Waterloo Public Health (ROWPH) during a third round of conciliation. The new agreement includes progress on nurses’ top bargaining priorities of fair wage increases and benefits. It also clearly outlines the premiums and frequency of weekend work.
“As one of the fastest-growing regions in the province, it was essential for Waterloo public health nurses to secure fair wages, schedules and hours of work in this collective agreement,” explains ONA Provincial President Erin Ariss, RN. “You cannot retain and recruit highly skilled workers without ensuring that they can make ends meet and have work-life balance.”
During negotiations, nurses organized a series of collective actions like a pledge card and petition to raise awareness and pressure for an agreement that included their bargaining demands, and to push back on concessions that would give the employer unilateral control over weekend work. Nurses also delivered a deputation to the Region of Waterloo highlighting these issues.
Nurses at the ROWPH are eager to continue providing high-quality, timely care to their community but also say the public health sector still lacks adequate provincial funding.
Says Ariss, “As viral infection season ramps up, the nurses will continue to fight for their community, themselves and a stronger, more robust public health sector for everyone.”
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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