Ontario nurses are pressing provincial election candidates to back mandated nurse-to-patient staffing ratios as they negotiate a new collective agreement with hospitals.
Members of the Ontario Nurses’ Association (ONA) are delivering petition banners with thousands of signatures to candidates in 26 locations across the province between Feb. 24 and Feb. 27. The union is calling for registered nurse (RN) staffing ratios to be included in its next contract with the Ontario Hospital Association (OHA).
“We are calling on provincial candidates to support nursing ratios and join us in calling on hospital CEOs to mandate them in our next contract, so Ontarians can get the care they need and deserve,” said ONA president Erin Ariss, RN.
Mandating RN staffing ratios would set minimum nurse-to-patient levels based on hospital unit needs. The ONA, which represents about 60,000 hospital nurses, says this is its top priority in ongoing negotiations. Talks with the OHA stalled after more than a week and are now headed to arbitration in April.
ONA argues that similar policies in British Columbia and several U.S. states have improved patient outcomes, boosted staff retention and recruitment, and reduced health-care costs. The union says Ontario has the worst nursing shortage in Canada.
ONA members and labour leaders are holding a series of actions to push for a contract that includes mandated ratios.
“We need hospital CEOs and our future Members of Provincial Parliament to be true leaders that take real action to fix public health care for Ontarians and improve working conditions for nurses,” said Ariss.
The ONA represents more than 68,000 registered nurses and health-care professionals, as well as 18,000 nursing student affiliates, working in hospitals, long-term care, public health, clinics and other health-care settings.
