Ford should back up words about nurses with action

Re Health-care ‘hero’ nurses being forgotten by province, June 15

Enxhi Kondi is right on the mark in her opinion column, with one vital exception: its first paragraph.

Last week’s statement from the Ontario Nurses’ Association’s did not say that our challenge to Bill 124 has failed. It did say that the arbitrator tasked with deciding what Ontario hospital Registered Nurses’ and health-care professionals’ new contract would be wrote that Bill 124 tied his hands with regard to monetary issues.

ONA will not give up the fight against this unfair legislation.

Bill 124 was introduced and passed last year in the Ontario legislature. ONA and other unions have launched a Charter challenge against this discriminatory legislation. Just last week, Manitoba public-sector unions won a similar court challenge against similar legislation in that province.

Kondi is absolutely right that Bill 124 targets female-dominated professionals, and it is widening the ever-growing gender pay gap.

Ontario RNs, nurse practitioners and healthcare professionals have had their wages frozen for two of the three-year moderation period and have not seen an increase in a decade that comes near the rate of inflation.

It is unrealistic to expect that highly educated, skilled and dedicated health-care professionals will tolerate losing ground financially forever. The timing of this issue could not be worse; front-line RNs and health-care providers have been put in a position of risking their health and that of their families during this pandemic.

The Ford government should withdraw this bill. Now. And demonstrate their respect to the valuable front lines with action, not just words. Vicki McKenna, RN, president, Ontario Nurses’ Association