Retirees

Retirement is a time to recognize and honour your contributions to your profession and to our health-care system. Becoming a retiree is also an opportunity to take up the fight for our patients, residents and clients in a new way, by becoming a retiree member.

Learn more about becoming a retiree member and the benefits and opportunities of staying engaged with your union and members across the province. We need your experience and your voice in the fight to defend public health care and each other.

Become a Retiree Member

There is no cost to becoming an ONA retiree member. According to ONA’s Constitution, to be eligible for membership, you must have been a member with entitlements prior to retirement or in receipt from a long-term disability program or worker’s compensation.

Complete our Retiree Membership Application online or download and complete the PDF application and submit it to our Dues and Membership team by email or mail. You only need to apply once with no renewal necessary.

Your contact information will be collected and stored in accordance with our Privacy Policy, and shared with those coordinating ONA communications for retirees.

Benefits and Coverage

Voluntary Retiree Benefits

Retiree members can access a range of voluntary retiree benefits with the flexibility to choose the coverage you need to help protect your health and well-being. This includes extended health and dental, and optional hospital and out-of-country travel insurance.

There is a 60-day open enrollment available to retiring members for extended health and dental coverage. Members can enroll in the ONA sponsored plan without providing evidence of good health. However, you must apply within 60 days of the loss of coverage from your employer due to retirement, and you must have been actively at work on the day you lost your coverage.

Hospital-Sector Benefits

For those members in the hospital sector, Article 17.01 i) of the central hospital collective agreement states, “The Hospital will provide to all full-time employees who reach age 57 and retire (including disability retirements) on or after April 1, 2011 and have not yet reached age 65 and who are in receipt of the Hospital’s pension plan benefits, semi-private, extended health care and dental benefits on the same basis as is provided to active employees as long as the retiree pays the Employer their share of the monthly premiums, in advance. The Hospital will contribute fifty percent (50%) of the billed premiums of these benefit plans.”

ONA Retiree Network

Becoming an ONA retiree member means you will also be a part of the ONA Retiree Network. ONA members created this network for two important reasons:

• Many members and leaders want to continue advocating for their union, profession and our health-care system after they retire.
• Your experience as a nurse or health-care professional and as an ONA member means you know the ropes. Retired members strengthen our collective voice and make us a stronger union.

Being a part of the network will connect you with other ONA retirees and members. You can support and join actions that matter to you including playing an active role in actions like rallies and phone banks. Look for updates on virtual information sessions about the topics that matter to you.

Retiree Network Advisory Team (RNAT)

To support our retiree network, the ONA Board decided to create a Retiree Network Advisory Team (RNAT.) The RNAT works with the Board of Directors and staff to build a strong, informed and supportive network of ONA retirees across Ontario.

Responsibilities include:

• Organizing opportunities for ONA retirees to participate in ONA actions and rallies.
• Promoting the retiree network to ONA retirees.
• Hosting virtual provincial networking opportunities.

Eligible candidates must be a retired member according to the Constitution to be considered. Team members are selected through an expression of interest (EOI) process. You can apply online or download and complete a PDF EOI form.

The Congress of Union Retirees of Canada

You are now eligible to join the Congress of Union Retirees of Canada (CURC). Formed in 1993, CURC unites retirees from affiliates of the Canadian Labour Congress (CLC). You can find out about CURC campaigns and read position papers and newsletters at the CURC website.

If you are interested in joining CURC, visit the website and click on the “Join Us” button. The annual membership cost is $25.

If you have any questions, you can contact CURC directly at 613-526-7422. When you contact CURC, ask about joining their Area Councils located in Ontario cities like Hamilton, Niagara Falls and Toronto.