Durham Public Health Nurses May Be Forced on Strike

WHITBY, ON, Jan. 15, 2013 /CNW/ - Public Health Nurses working for the Durham Region Health Department will hold a pre-conciliation strike vote tomorrow.

The 184 registered nurses and nurse practitioners, members of the Ontario Nurses' Association (ONA), have been without a contract since March 31, 2012.

"This employer boasts on its website that it works with community partners to do the important work of promoting and protecting community health, preventing infectious diseases and monitoring and tracking outbreaks," notes ONA President Linda Haslam-Stroud, RN. "Our dedicated nurses deserve to be shown the respect at the bargaining table that reflects the integral role they play in the community."

These nurses also provide health promotion programs and services, manage and control diseases, provide clinic services that include immunization and sexual health, and educate individuals, families and the community on an array of subjects. Community health nurses are also part of this group.

Furthermore, with more than 6,000 babies born every year in Durham, the nurses also provide the Healthy Babies, Healthy Children services to ensure each child has the best possible start to a healthy life.

ONA and this employer began bargaining last September 28 for a total of five days of talks; talks ended last October 29. ONA filed for conciliation on October 31 and it is scheduled for January 21. These nurses are hopeful that this employer will be ready to negotiate a fair collective agreement. The value they bring to the community of Durham should be respected and recognized.

ONA is the union representing 60,000 registered nurses and allied health professionals, as well as more than 14,000 nursing student affiliates providing care in hospitals, long-term care facilities, public health, the community, clinics and industry.

SOURCE: Ontario Nurses' Association

Ontario Nurses' Association

Sheree Bond    [phone], ext. 2430/cell: [phone], [email protected]
Melanie Levenson   [phone], ext. 2369, [email protected]

Visit us at: www.ona.org; www.Facebook.com/OntarioNurses; www.Twitter.com/OntarioNurses