More than 100 nurses at Region of Waterloo Public Health are heading to conciliation Tuesday in a dispute over scheduling and compensation.
The nurses, represented by the Ontario Nurses’ Association (ONA), are seeking a new contract. The union says the employer wants unilateral control over schedules, including the ability to require weekend shifts without fair pay.
Union says work-life balance at risk
“Many nurses come to work public health to reclaim control over their time and lives. They have young families, take care of elderly parents and deserve work-life balance,” said Erin Ariss, registered nurse and ONA provincial president.
She added that without fair scheduling and compensation, nurses will leave the sector for other work.
Public health services impacted
The union says Region of Waterloo Public Health has not shown a consistent need for weekend coverage.
Ariss said public health nurses are “the first line of defence” in health care and worked around the clock during the pandemic, despite low wages and what she described as mismanagement by government and employers.
Serving 670,000 residents
Nurses at Region of Waterloo Public Health provide care to more than 670,000 residents in Cambridge, Kitchener, Waterloo and the surrounding townships. Their services include supports for new parents, children and seniors, infectious disease monitoring and response, and care for underserved and high-risk populations.
“At a time when our communities are still combating the measles outbreak and ahead of the viral infection season, I urge this employer to meet these nurses’ demands. Because without them, there is no public health,” Ariss said.
The ONA represents more than 68,000 registered nurses and health-care professionals across Ontario, along with 18,000 nursing student affiliates.
