St. Elizabeth Home Care nurses in Thunder Bay, Ont., head to conciliation

Decent wages will help employer recruitment efforts: ONA

Registered nurses (RNs) and registered practical nurses (RPNs) working for St. Elizabeth Home Care in Thunder Bay, Ont., will head to conciliation with their employer on Feb. 14.

The six full-time and one part-time RNs, four full-time and one part-time RPNs — members of the Ontario Nurses' Association (ONA) — have been without a contract for almost two full years.

"ONA has been trying to negotiate a new contract with this employer since October 2017," said Vicki McKenna, ONA president. "The care our nurses provide is too important to suffer from a nurse recruitment and retention crisis. The solution is obvious — and we urge this employer to come to conciliation prepared with a decent offer."

St. Elizabeth must institute a pay grid such as other employers offer, said the ONA.

ONA represents 65,000 registered nurses and health-care professionals, as well as 16,000 nursing student affiliates, providing care in hospitals, long-term care facilities, public health, the community, clinics and industry.

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