ona front lines, october 2012
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In ThIs Issue . . .E4From ONA President/Interim CEO
Linda Haslam-Stroud, RN
E5From ONA First Vice-President
Vicki McKenna, RN
OCTOBER 2012Vol. 12 • No. 5
continues on page 3
Attention Region 1 Members: Vote for Regional VP!
is fighting back against proposed legislation that attacks the democratic rights of public sector workers in Ontario, including our members, to collectively bargain –
and we desperately need your help to send a strong message to the government!The proposed bill, Protecting Public Services Act, 2012, announced by Finance Minister
Dwight Duncan on September 26, 2012, seeks to restrain compensation for public sector workers (ONA members) until the government has eliminated its deficit. It would give the government extraordinary powers to impose contracts; curtail funda-
The election for the position of Region 1 Vice-President on the ONA Board of Direc-tors takes place this fall, and we encourage you to take a few minutes and cast your vote using the televote system.
As regional Vice-Presidential candidates were acclaimed in four of the five ONA re-gions this year, only Region 1 members will be asked to vote (the President and First Vice-
FeATuResPatient Advocate Expelled ..................... 6Member’s Special Recognition............10ONA VP’s Study Tour ................................12
InDeXUp Front......................................................... 3Member News ............................................. 6ONA News ...................................................12Queen’s Park Update ...............................15OHC News ...................................................15Occupational Health and Safety .........16CFNU News .................................................17LEAP ..............................................................17Education ....................................................18Human Rights and Equity .....................19Student Affiliation ....................................20Awards and Decisions.............................22
The Members’ Publication of the Ontario Nurses’ Association
continues on page 3
ONA
Information on the Regional VP Candidates Inside!
Dual Dues Refund Information Included
Association
ONA President Linda Haslam-Stroud (holding sign) stands in solidarity with teachers and education workers, including Elementary Teachers’ Federation of Ontario First Vice-President Susan Swackhammer (second from right), at a mass rally at Queen’s Park in August to oppose government legislation that forces contracts on them. Now nurses and other public sectors workers face similar attacks.
ONA Fights Back Against Attack on Collective Bargaining!
President were elected to two-year terms last year, meaning their positions will not be up for election until 2013). Congratulations to Region 2 Vice-President Anne Clark, Region 3 Vice-President Andy Summers, Region 4 Vice-Pres-ident Dianne Leclair and Region 5 Vice-Presi-dent Karen Bertrand on their acclamations.
To vote, all you need is a touch tone tele-phone, your ONA ID
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OCTOBER 20122
Linda Haslam-Stroud, RN
President/Interim CEO, VM #2254Communications & Government Relations / Student Liaison
Vicki McKenna, RN
First VP, VM #2314Political Action & Professional Issues
Diane Parker, RN
VP Region 1, VM #7710Occupational Health & Safety
Anne Clark, RN
VP Region 2, VM #7758Labour Relations
Andy Summers, RN
VP Region 3, VM #7754Human Rights & Equity
Dianne Leclair, RN
VP Region 4, VM #7752Local Finance
Karen Bertrand, RN
VP Region 5, VM #7702Education
How to contact your 2012 ONA Board of Directors
Call ONA toll-free at 1-800-387-5580 (press 0)
or (416) 964-8833 in Toronto and follow the
operator’s prompts to access board members’
voice-mail. Voice-mail numbers (VM) for Board
members in the Toronto office are listed below.
Tel: (416) 964-8833
Toll free: 1-800-387-5580
ONA Provincial Office
85 Grenville St., Ste. 400
Toronto ON M5S 3A2
ONA is the union representing 59,000 registered nurses and allied
health professionals and more than 13,000 nursing student affiliates
providing care in hospitals, long-term care facilities, public health, the
community, clinics and industry.
Fax: (416) 964-8864
E-mail: onamail@ona.org
www.ona.org
Design: Artifact graphic design
Printed by union labour: Thistle Printing Limited
Copyright © 2012 Ontario Nurses’ Association
All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced
or transmitted in any form or by any means, including electronic,
mechanical, photocopy, recording, or by any information storage or
retrieval system, without permission in writing from the publisher
(ONA members are excepted).
Editor: Ruth Featherstone
Features Editor: Melanie Levenson
Send submissions to:
Communications and Government Relations Intake at cgrintake@ona.org.
Contributors: Sheree Bond, Nancy Johnson, Colin Johnston, Katherine Russo,
Karen Sandercock, Lawrence Walter
EHamilton2 King St., W., 2nd Floor RearDundas, ON L9H 6Z1Tel: (905) 628-0850Fax: (905) 628-2557
EKingston4 Cataraqui St., Ste. 201Kingston ON K7K 1Z7Tel: (613) 545-1110Fax: (613) 531-9043
ELondon750 Baseline Rd. E. Ste. 204London ON N6C 2R5Tel: (519) 438-2153Fax: (519) 433-2050
EOrillia210 Memorial Ave., Unit 126AOrillia ON L3V 7V1Tel: (705) 327-0404Fax: (705) 327-0511
EOttawa1400 Clyde Ave., Ste. 211Nepean ON K2G 3J2Tel: (613) 226-3733Fax: (613) 723-0947
ESudbury764 Notre Dame Ave., Unit 3Sudbury ON P3A 2T4Tel: (705) 560-2610Fax: (705) 560-1411
EThunder Bay#300, Woodgate Centre, 1139 Alloy Dr. Thunder Bay ON P7B 6M8Tel: (807) 344-9115Fax: (807) 344-8850
ETimminsCanadian Mental Health Association Building330 Second Ave, Ste. 203Timmins ON P4N 8A4Tel: (705) 264-2294Fax: (705) 268-4355
EWindsor3155 Howard Ave., Ste. 220Windsor ON N8X 3Y9Tel: (519) 966-6350 Fax: (519) 972-0814
ONA Regional Offices
The Members’ Publication of the Ontario Nurses’ Association
OCTOBER 2012Vol. 12 • No. 5
ISSN: 0834-9088
www.Facebook.com/OntarioNurses • www.Twitter.com/OntarioNurses • www.youtube.com/OntarioNurses
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Up Front
OCTOBER 2012 3
SEPTEMBER BOARd HigHLigHTS
The following are key highlights from the most recent Board of
Directors meeting, held September 17-20, 2012 at the ONA provincial
office:
A A total of $100,000 ($50,000 in each 2012 and 2013) will be allo-
cated to Hamilton’s Workers Arts and Heritage Centre for a proj-
ect under the theme, Nurses: Unionization has improved the lives
of those caring professionals and their patients.
A North District Service Team Manager Leanne Cooke has been
appointed to the Alternate Trustee position of the Canadian
Blood Services’ Defined Benefit Pension Board.
The next Board meeting will be held at the ONA provincial office on
December 11-13, 2012 and highlights will appear in an upcoming is-
sue of Front Lines.
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and personal identification number (PIN), found on the back page of the election booklet mailed to Region 1 members in September. You can vote at any time between now and 2400 hours on Novem-ber 1, 2012 by dialing 1-888-917-8683 to access the bilingual sys-tem and following a few easy-to-understand prompts. It only takes a few minutes to place your vote, but try to pick a time when you are least likely to be interrupted. Results will be posted on our web-site and published in the next issue of Front Lines.
If you have any questions or concerns about the televote, call the ONA provincial office at (416) 964-8833 or toll-free at 1-800-387-5580 (immediately hit “0” to be connected to the Toronto of-fice), followed by voicemail box 7748. An ONA staff member will return your call promptly. Specific information on the candidates in each region is included with this issue of Front Lines and posted on the ONA homepage at www.ona.org.
The Board of Directors makes important decisions on your be-half every day. We strongly encourage you to have your say in who forms this important group this fall.
mental civil liberties for health care workers whose rights are already restricted because their work is considered essential; and end access to the independent arbitration process, leav-ing workers who provide essential services with nothing as a fair trade off for removing their right to strike. This, despite the fact the Drummond report concluded Ontario’s arbitra-tion system is not broken.
“We have been very clear. ONA nurses have already done our part through negotiated collective agreements, which are re-spectful of the province’s economic situation,” said ONA Presi-dent Linda Haslam-Stroud. “It is our position that we have the legal and constitutional right to collectively negotiate our work-ing conditions with our employers, but this legislation rips up that democratic right, and we cannot let that happen.”
While at press time the proposed legislation had not been tabled in the legislature and both opposition parties indicat-ed they would not support it, we were quick to advise the gov-ernment that preserving front-line patient care will be put at risk if they proceed. When the collective bargaining system breaks down, our members’ quality of worklife deteriorates, which in turn negatively impacts patient health outcomes.
We urge you to help in our fight by logging onto our web-site at www.ona.org and sending a templated letter to your MPP, urging him or her to vote against this reckless legisla-tion, just as you did when we asked you to support our teach-er allies against Bill 115, Putting Students First Act, which passed in early September.
That Act forces contracts on teachers and education work-ers, represented by the Elementary Teachers’ Federation of On-tario, the Ontario Secondary School Teachers’ Federation, and the Canadian Union of Public Employees. It imposes a two-year wage freeze, scraps the current short-term disability plan/sick banks, and bans strikes and lockouts. The government said it had no choice to pass the bill because of the economic situation.
“The government has every right to balance their books, but they first need to identify where the true problem lies – and it’s certainly not with the nurses, teachers and other pub-lic sector workers of this province,” concluded Haslam-Stroud.
“We did not cause the deficit. The loss of public revenue is due to corporations and rich individuals not paying and evading taxes, which has caused the shortfall in provincial income. The government should be collaborating with front-line workers who deliver essential public services to Ontarians, not de-stroying collective bargaining and democratic rights.”
Attention Region 1 Members: Vote for Regional VP!
REgiON 1 MEMBERS: HOW TO TELEVOTECaLL 1-888-917-8683 to access the system.
ENtER your language choice (English or French),
ONA ID and PIN.
SELECt the candidate of your choice.
ONA Fights Back Against Attack on Collective Bargaining!
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and personal identification number (PIN), found on the back page
Attention Region 1 Members: Vote for Regional VP!
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OCTOBER 20124
From ONA President/Interim CEO
Chronique de la présidente/directrice générale par intérim, AIIO
Linda Haslam-Stroud, RN
We will move into ONA’s next 40 years as a strong, united union.
We are a Vibrant Profession and a Powerful Union!
It’s a momentous time for the Ontario Nurses’ Association.In November, ONA’s 2012 Biennial Convention kicks off, as
does the launch of our 40th anniversary celebrations. Internally, ONA is in the midst of a revitalization plan, acknow-
ledging that many of our long-time staff members are approaching retirement – much like many of our province’s experienced and dedicated members.
Finally, on an interim basis, I have taken on the role of Chief Executive Officer while we search for a replacement. I want to assure each of you that my goal with the organization’s revitalization is to ensure that ONA remains a strong union representing our vibrant profession. We want to ensure that you have quality representation in your workplace with your employers and the government.
My goal is for ONA staff and our Bargaining Units to have solid partnerships to enable front-line members to be well-served and free to focus on delivering the safe, quality patient care Ontarians deserve.
These are challenging times for ONA, and challenging times for our members. We face mounting pressure from many corners.
Unions and our members are being singled out and attacked as somehow causing the current economic situation and needing to make sacrifices, despite the fact that you make sacrifices on the front lines every day. We are sending back the message loud and clear that we are not the ones to blame; it is the corporate sector, which continues to enjoy historically low tax rates.
Despite this, I am confident we will move into ONA’s next 40 years as a strong, united union, revitalized and more passionate, vi-brant and powerful than ever.
Biennial Convention promises to be a lively and informative event. I look forward to hearing from many of you as we strengthen relationships, become reinspired to fight on for quality patient care, support a healthy nursing workforce and worklife, and celebrate how far we’ve come since the early 1970s.
Nous sommes une profession dynamique et un syndicat puissant!
C’est une période riche en événements pour I’Association des infirmières et infirmiers de l’Ontario.
En novembre, l’AIIO lance son Congrès biennal 2012 de même que les célébrations de son 40e anniversaire.
Sur le plan interne, l’AIIO est au cœur d’un plan de revitalisation, sachant que nombre de membres de longue date de notre personnel approchent de la retraite – comme beaucoup de nos membres expérimentés et dévoués à l’échelle de la province.
Enfin, j’assume à titre provisoire le rôle de directrice générale pendant que nous cherchons une remplaçante. Je tiens à assurer chacune d’entre vous que mon objectif en ce qui a trait à la revitalisation de notre organisation consiste à faire en sorte que l’AIIO demeure un syndicat fort pour représenter une profession dynamique. Nous voulons que vous soyez bien représentées dans votre lieu de travail auprès de votre employeur et du gouvernement.
Mon objectif est de voir le personnel de l’AIIO et nos unités de négociation travailler dans le cadre de solides partenariats pour que nos membres en première ligne soient bien servis et puissent se consacrer à offrir de façon sécuritaire les soins de qualité auxquels les Ontariens ont droit.
L’AIIO traverse des moments difficiles, ses membres aussi. Nous sommes confrontées à des pressions croissantes d’origines diverses.
Les syndicats et nos membres sont pointés du doigt et accusés de contribuer d’une certaine manière à la situation économique actuelle, et on leur demande de faire des sacrifices alors qu’en première ligne, chaque jour, vous en faites déjà. À cela, nous répondons fermement et clairement que ce n’est pas nous qu’il faut blâmer, mais plutôt le secteur des entreprises qui bénéficie de taux d’imposition historiquement bas.
Malgré tout, je suis certaine que pour les 40 prochaines années, l’AIIO sera un syndicat revitalisé, solide et uni, plus passionné, dynamique et puissant qu’il ne l’a jamais été.
Le Congrès biennal promet d’être un évènement animé et intéressant. J’ai hâte d’avoir de vos nouvelles alors que nous nous employons à consolider nos relations, à retrouver le souffle nécessaire pour nous battre en faveur de la qualité des soins aux patients, d’un personnel infirmier en santé et d’un milieu de travail sain, et à célébrer tout le chemin parcouru depuis le début des années 1970.
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OCTOBER 2012 5
From ONA First Vice-President
Chronique de la première vice-présidente, AIIO
Vicki McKenna, RN
A Call to Action in Times of Cutbacks!
With the government imposing wage freezes on the public sector, unions facing increasing attacks, and significant cuts to hospitals and community care access centres start-
ing to roll out, never has there been a more important time for ONA members to come together with our allies to strategize about how to respond to government cutbacks.
And I can’t think of a better way to do this than by participat-ing in the Ontario Health Coalition’s (OHC) Health Action Assembly and Annual Conference on November 17-18, 2012 at the University of Toronto’s Hart House Music Room. The timing couldn’t be better, as it’s the weekend before our Biennial Convention when many of you will be Toronto.
ONA has been a proud member of the OHC, a network of more than 400 grassroots community organizations representing virtu-ally all areas of the province, for many years. Its fundamental goals of preserving our public health care system and protecting quality patient care mirror our own.
During the assembly, ONA members will help design an action plan, which is essentially a blueprint of the campaigns the OHC and its allies will embark on in the upcoming year. As OHC Director Nat-alie Mehra says, it is crucial that we mount a fight back sufficient to push back against government cuts and protect health care for all. We must insist that our politicians listen to the values and prior-ities of our community that place caring for each other before more tax cuts for corporations and the wealthy. We must show Ontarians that there are alternatives. And it is assemblies like this where that push back will begin.
The OHC’s accomplishments over the years are impressive, but they would not have been possible without the involvement of our members in helping to plan and take part in OHC campaigns to lob-by for change. I ask you to assist once again by attending the Health Action Assembly in November if you can; this just may be one of the most important meetings you attend this year!
For more information and to register, log onto www.ontariohealthcoalition.ca.
Un appel à passer à l’action en période de compressions!
Face aux gels de salaires imposés par le gouvernement dans le secteur public, aux attaques croissantes contre les syndicats, ainsi qu’aux importantes compressions qui commencent à s’étendre
dans les hôpitaux et les Centres d’accès aux soins communautaires, il n’y a jamais eu de moment plus important pour que les membres de l’AIIO s’unissent avec leurs alliés afin de définir une stratégie sur la manière de répondre aux réductions gouvernementales.
Et je ne peux imaginer une meilleure façon d’y arriver qu’en participant au Congrès annuel et à l’Assemblée pour une action en santé de l’Ontario Health Coalition’s (OHC) qui aura lieu les 17 et 18 novembre 2012 à la salle de musique Hart House de l’Université de Toronto. Le moment ne pouvait être mieux choisi puisque c’est la fin de semaine qui précède notre Congrès biennal et que beaucoup d’entre vous seront à Toronto.
L’AIIO est fière d’être membre de l’OHC, un réseau de plus de 400 organismes communautaires locaux représentant pratiquement toutes les régions de la province, depuis de nombreuses années. Ses objectifs fondamentaux consistant à préserver notre système de soins de santé et à protéger la qualité des soins prodigués aux patients sont conformes aux nôtres.
Pendant l’assemblée, les membres de l’AIIO contribueront à préparer un plan d’action, qui sera essentiellement un plan pour les campagnes que l’OHC et ses alliés lanceront au cours de la prochaine année. Selon la directrice de l’OHC, Natalie Mehra, il est crucial que nous organisions une lutte assez forte pour repousser le plan d’austérité du gouvernement et assurer la protection des soins de santé pour tous. Nous devons insister pour que nos politiciens tiennent compte des valeurs et des priorités de notre communauté, à savoir que les soins à la population passent avant de nouvelles réductions d’impôts au profit des sociétés et des nantis. Nous devons montrer aux Ontariens qu’il existe d’autres solutions. C’est dans des assemblées comme celle-ci que ce mouvement de refus commencera.
Les réalisations à mettre au compte de l’OHC au fil des années sont impressionnantes, mais elles n’auraient pas été possibles sans la participation de nos membres qui ont contribué à planifier les campagnes de pression de l’OHC pour obtenir des changements et qui y ont participé. Je vous demande d’y participer cette fois encore en assistant si vous le pouvez à l’Assemblée pour une action en santé en novembre; c’est peut-être l’une des réunions les plus importantes auxquelles vous assisterez cette année!
Pour en savoir plus et pour vous inscrire, consultez le site www.ontariohealthcoalition.ca.
Never has there been a more important time for ONA members to come together with our allies.
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ONA Members Across Ontario
OCTOBER 20126
ONa Has Your Back!Local Leader Removed from Hospital by Security for Advocating for Patients and Members
tient care concerns to the manager. It was at
this point, Howell said the manager returned
with security and he was abruptly removed
from the unit in front of staff and patients.
“As I left, I identified myself to the pa-
tients and members watching,” he said. “I
wanted them to know that as the Bargaining
Unit President, I was ensuring they have safe,
quality care from our dedicated members in
the Emergency department, who were also
horrified by what was happening.”
“I find it hard to believe that it is ac-
ceptable to have our union representative
removed by security because there was a
concern of patient safety raised in the de-
partment,” said one member. “I thought that
as patient advocates, health care providers
respected the basic patient rights of dignity,
confidentiality, and most importantly safety.
Where do we go from here? Who, if not the
union and its members, will oversee and pro-
tect the patients and their health care provid-
ers? I am appalled!”
Howell immediately contacted ONA Pres-
ident Linda Haslam-Stroud to discuss next
steps. ONA is treating this situation serious-
ly; the union wants members to know this
thankfully happens very infrequently.
“We are dealing with this unfortunate
situation through the collective agreement,”
said Howell. “We have been working very
hard to build and maintain a respectful and
collaborative relationship with the employer,
and have been able to successfully address
and resolve many of our members’ issues by
working in a respectful manner. This is not
a reflection of the hard work we‘ve done so
far, and we’re not letting it affect our relation-
ship. I remain a proud Humber nurse.”
At the same time, Howell said he wants
his members to know the union is here for
them and won’t back down.
ONA is taking action after Local 68 Coordina-
tor Micheal Howell was removed from the
hospital where he works for doing some-
thing most would consider to be heroic: ad-
vocating for our members and their ability to
provide quality care to their patients.
On September 11, 2012, Howell, who
works at Humber River Regional Hospital in
Toronto, was asked by our members to ur-
gently assist with a matter that arose at the
Church site. Upon attending the unit, mem-
bers told him that a change in practice to
the emergency department, which they only
found out about when they came to work for
that shift, meant they were unable to safely
monitor their patients and safely control the
flow of additional patients into emergency.
They were simply overwhelmed, and it quick-
ly became chaotic in the ER, which already
has a number of professional responsibility
complaints and is heading for an Indepen-
dent Assessment Committee hearing, Howell
said.
“I called the manager to ask her to come
into the Emergency department and assess
the unit, and I explained that members are
very concerned about patient safety and
care, not to mention their own safety, as they
could be in violation of their standards of
practice,” he said.
The response was not quite what Howell
was expecting. After the manager came to
the unit and Howell told her he was investi-
gating the issue raised by members, wanted
to work with management on a resolution
and would wait while she investigated the
unit, the situation quickly escalated.
Howell, who had been waiting at the
front desk, was advised the manager had left
the unit. After hearing this, he attended the
“ozone” area of the Emergency department
to ensure members had expressed their pa-
“We’re here to help members and work
with the employer and ensure our members
and their patients are safe,” he said. “We aren’t
going anywhere. I knew how to handle this
situation thanks to my experience as a union
leader. I learned with ONA that you always
take the high road, and that’s why we achieve
so much.”
Added Haslam-Stroud, “This is proof that
ONA will not accept this kind of treatment
of our Bargaining Unit leaders and front-line
members when they are simply doing their
job and advocating for safe, patient care. I
hope the one message that resonates loud
and clear from this unfortunate situation is
that ONA has your back!”
Great news! Just as Front Lines went to
press, the employer acknowledged its mis-
step on this issue during a meeting with ONA.
in this grainy photo taken with a cell
phone, Local 68 Coordinator Micheal
Howell, right, is shown being escorted
out of Humber River Regional Hospital
by a security guard.
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OCTOBER 2012 7
ONA members across Ontario took the op-
portunity of Labour Day on September 3,
2012 to show solidarity against government
cutbacks.
ONA members, including Region 3 Vice-
President Andy Summers, were among the
thousands of participants who marched
and danced along the four-kilometre parade
route in Toronto, waving ONA flags and pen-
nants (left photo). Under the theme, United
Against Austerity, participants, including fire-
fighters, paramedics, teachers and emergen-
cy workers, spoke out against politicians giv-
ing billions in tax cuts to corporations while
asking ordinary working Ontarians to tighten
their belts.
Donning t-shirts reading, “Some Cuts Don’t
Heal,” Local 8 members spread the message
that nurses are the backbone of our health
care system and must be treated as such dur-
ing the Windsor Labour Day parade (right pho-
to). This was the best attended parade by ONA
members, with more than 20 on hand!
Several kilometres north, ONA Local 134
took part in Barrie’s third annual Labour Day
picnic at Sunnidale Park, which included a barbecue co-sponsored by ONA, live band and
children’s amusement activities. Local 134 Coordinator Kimberley Sweeney reports there were
a variety of other unions and organizations participating, making it the busiest Labour Day
event they have had so far. Members in Port Elgin, part of Local 4, also walked the length of
their parade to demonstrate the continuing importance of unions.
“Labour Day and its messages of solidarity have never been more relevant, as organized
labour faces increased attacks,” said ONA President Linda Haslam-Stroud. “We urge all Ontar-
ians to appreciate the work of not just our union, but of all unions, which are responsible for
the significant gains to workers’ lives and society over all.”
Celebrating Diversity!Members of Local 100, including Univer-
sity Hospital Local Vice-President Ron
Bouwman (pictured), came out in full
force to show their support for the Lesbi-
an, Gay, Bisexual and Transgendered
community during the London Pride Pa-
rade on July 29, 2012. The Local decorated
a float and then marched along the city’s
Dundas Street with the message of “cele-
brating the diversity of our members and
the community we serve as nurses.”
Go After Corporations, Not Workers, Labour Day Marchers Say
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ONA Members Across Ontario
OCTOBER 20128
Health Unit’s Project Educates Others on PHN RoleMembers at Perth District Health Unit have
found an innovative way to help their col-
leagues and the public understand and ap-
preciate the valuable work of public health
nurses.
One of the responsibilities of the health
unit’s Professional Practice Committee is to
recognize and celebrate the unique skills
of public health staff. To do so, the commit-
tee gave each profession/discipline the task
of creating a PowerPoint presentation that
would be sent to all staff via e-mail, posted on
the internet and the health unit’s intranet, and
placed on TVs in the reception of each of their
offices. One presentation per month has been
featured throughout 2012.
“These presentations were to highlight
the skills needed for the role, the training
each underwent, if they were regulated by a
professional body and why someone should
consider a career in that profession,” said
Professional Practice Committee and ONA
member Jill Sloan, who is the health unit’s
Reproductive Health Lead. “This activity was
meant for each team of professionals to not
only celebrate who they are and what they
do, but also to enlighten their coworkers in
the other disciplines.”
The Committee quickly learned that it
truly takes a diverse team of professionals,
non-professionals and volunteers to accom-
plish the work of public health, said Sloan,
adding that they also “work in partnership
with our community to foster conditions in
which people can be healthy.”
The health unit also hoped to educate the
public on the role of public health – not only
those who use their services, but the next
generation who may not know what public
health is all about and has to offer to them
as a career – and why we love it, Sloan said.
“There have been many times over the
years when I have introduced myself as a
nurse and the first question I get is ‘What part
Visiting our infertility NursesLocal 2 Vice-President Anne Clark (front row, left) and Local 83 Coordi-
nator Frances Smith (back row, second from left) attend the Bargain-
ing Unit meeting of the Ottawa Fertility Clinic this past June to learn
firsthand about our members’ experiences and concerns in this field.
infertility nurses work diligently to help execute treatment plans and
play an important role in supporting patients through the complex
journey of infertility — from infertility diagnosis to fertility treatment
to pregnancy. “These nurses have extensive nursing backgrounds,
both within women’s health and in addition to it,” said Clark. “Their
compassion and commitment to providing personalized care of the
highest quality to their patients is obvious and inspiring, and it was an
honour to speak with them during this visit.”
of the hospital do you work in?’ Or, if I intro-
duce myself as a public health nurse, they ask
‘what’s that?’ or ‘are you a real nurse?’” added
Sloan, who graduated from the University of
Western Ontario in 2000 with a BScN and has
worked exclusively in public health ever since.
The general response about the project
has been very positive, said Sloan, who also
used the project for the fourth-year nursing
student that she was preceptoring as a way
to introduce her to public health nursing.
“The result of this project has been a
greater understanding of the diverse roles
and skills of all the staff in the health unit and
an increased appreciation for the unique con-
tribution that each of our coworkers brings,”
she said. “I would definitely recommend that
other ONA members consider doing similar
projects in their work units.”
Perth District Health Unit public health
nurse Jill Sloan demostrates child car
seat safety during a prenatal class.
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Look for the ticket of nominations posted in your workplace. It is a list of the names of your colleagues who have been nominated to run—the people who will be on the ballot, seeking your vote to be your ONA Local and Bargaining Unit representatives.
Watch for more information about election dates and times to be posted in your workplace soon.
Have questions? Ask your Bargaining Unit President www.ona.org/bup
*Bargaining Unit and Local elections will be taking place for the majority of ONA members this fall. A few locals have already conducted their elections this year, others may hold elections for some or all of their positions next year.
Learn who’s running and vote.
Who speaksfor you?Elections for your ONA Bargaining Unit & Local Union representatives are happening this fall.*
OCTOBER 2012 9
Region 3 Vice-President Andy Sum-
mers and Local 6 Coordinator Caro-
lyn Edgar (second from left) are
joined by Pat Kearn from the Centre
for Addiction and Mental Health
(left) and Candice Owley, President
of the Wisconsin Federation of Nurs-
es, following a special labour screen-
ing of the film, “We are Wisconsin” at
the Toronto HotDocs Festival on May
2, 2012. The evening also featured a
panel discussion with the filmmaker
and some key people in the film. “We
are Wisconsin” follows the day-to-
day unfolding of the public outcry
against Wisconsin Governor Scott
Walker’s controversial budget-repair
bill, which would eliminate collec-
tive bargaining rights for many State
workers, answering the question,
“Why should we care about what’s
going on in Wisconsin?” Just as Front
Lines went to press, a Wisconsin
State judge ruled unconstitutional
and invalid many key provisions of
the Bill.
Are We the Next Wisconsin?
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ONA Members Across Ontario
OCTOBER 201210
A retiring ONA leader who has been
acknowledged for her years of ser-
vice to the nursing profession and our
union says she is the one who should
be grateful.
Local 2 Coordinator Bernadette De-
nis, a public health nurse who has been
active with ONA for the past 18 years,
received the Special Contribution to
the Nursing Profession Award from
the Registered Nurses’ Association of
Ontario’s (RNAO) Sudbury and District
Chapter at a special Nursing Week cel-
ebration attended by approximately
100 members from ONA and RNAO on
May 7, 2012.
Denis, who has worked at the Sud-
bury and District Public Health Unit
for 31 years, was nominated by Local
2 Treasurer Suzele Jambakhsh for her
commitment to her clients, her col-
leagues, her union and her community.
Jambakhsh’s glowing nomination let-
ter was read during the celebration.
“I’ve never been a fan of awards
because everyone works so hard, but
I was so happy to win this one,” said
Denis, who received the only standing
ovation of the night. “It surprised me,
but what is so special is that it comes
from people I know. I was truly over-
whelmed. This is a lovely way to end
my career.”
That career started 47 years ago,
when a teenaged Denis began work-
ing in the emergency and operating
room at Sudbury Memorial Hospital as
what was then called a registered nurs-
ing assistant. After obtaining her RN
diploma and then degree, with a stint
in the intensive care unit in between, Denis moved onto the Sudbury
and District Health Unit. She has never looked back, working first as a
generalist nurse before shifting to the Sexual Health Program for 18
Special Recognition “Lovely Way to End Career,” Leader Says
years and, finally, the Control of Infec-
tious Diseases Program. Denis’ greatest
accomplishment is the development of
a 200-page Sexual Health binder, which
was distributed free to all secondary
schools in her area and later sold pro-
vincially to other health units.
Denis was also given an award,
nominated by her entire executive, for
her outstanding commitment to ONA
over the years.
“They felt I had made a difference
to my union,” she said. “I have tried very
hard to do that. I’m available at all times
for my members and do whatever I can
for them.”
Despite the accolades that have
come her way, a very humble Denis be-
lieves that she is the one who should
be doing the thanking.
“This is more about gratitude from
me than gratitude for what I’ve done,”
she said. “I have gotten so much from
working as an RN and have received so
much from ONA: a sense of leadership,
pride, humanity and solidarity. I am
thankful for all the opportunities I have
had. I love what I do and I do what I love.
“I consider myself a woman of ser-
vice, not offering a service,” she added.
“You offer a service when someone de-
mands something. But with me, I’m on
the job whenever I’m needed because
I’m of service. It’s a different situation
when you live life like this.”
And with retirement looming on
December 31, 2012, what’s next for this
long-time politically active ONA leader?
“It’s time to move on, but I’m not
stopping,” Denis said, noting that she is
leaving her Local in good hands. “I have certainly enjoyed them, but
my life won’t die without nursing and ONA. I will be happy, have fun
and see how it goes.”
After receiving the RNAO’s Special Contribution
to the Nursing Profession Award at a Nursing
Week celebration, Local 2 Coordinator Berna-
dette Denis (left) is joined by Sudbury Mayor
Marianne Matichuk (seated), RNAO Region 11
representative Paul-Andre gauthier, who pre-
sented the award, and Dr. Deborah Bakker, a
professor from Laurentian University, who is na-
tionally known for her nursing research and was
the evening’s guest speaker. “The mayor
thanked and congratulated me for the award
and said she was very impressed by my accom-
plishments,” beamed Denis. “She said she want-
ed to be in a picture with me!”
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OCTOBER 2012 11
The ONA website contains important information and valu-
able tools to keep you up-to-date on issues that can help you
in your workplace. Here is just a sampling of some of the help-
ful documents found on www.ona.org:
• Your Local collective agreement. The website houses
more than 350 Local agreements that you can access.
Simply visit your sector-specific section (the magenta
boxonthehomepage)andclickonthe“collectiveagree-
ments” linkontheright-handside.Theagreementscan
be sortedoneof twoways: alphabetically or by expiry
date.
• TheONA Constitution. Have you everwonderedwhat
theONAConstitutionsaysaboutCharteredLocalAssoci-
ationsorthecompositionoftheBoardofDirectors?The
ONAConstitution provides this information. Under the
“PublicationsandForms”tab,clickonthe“Constitution,
GuidesandBooklets”link.
• ONA produces submissions to the government each
year.ThesubmissionsoutlineONA’spositiononcertain
governmentBillsandArticles.Recently,ONAsubmitted
apaper in response to themodernizationof theWork-
placeSafetyandInsuranceBoard’sAppealsProgram.To
findONA’s submissions, go to the“Political Action” tab
andclickon“SubmissionstoGovernment.”
• What is the Legal Expense Assistance Plan (LEAP) and
howdomembersaccessit?LEAPwasestablishedin1980
to assist ONA members with legal or regulatory body
problems relating to their work, including those arising
from the province’s Regulated Health Professions Act. To
findoutmoreaboutthisplan,visitthe“MemberServices”
tabandclickon“LegalExpenseAssistancePlan.”
Asalways,wewanttohearyourideasonhowwecanim-
provethisimportantonlineresource.ContactCommunica-
tions Officer Katherine Russo at katheriner@ona.org with
yoursuggestionsandareasforimprovement.
What’s on the ONA Web: Did You Know?What’s on the ONA Web:
RNs on “Cloud Number Nine” After Recognition from Canadian Icon!Nurses from Timmins and District Hospital are feeling the love from one
ofCanada’smostcherishedmusicians.
Joan Ludwig, the hospital’s Chief Nursing Officer, met one of her
idols,singer/songwriter/photographerBryanAdamspriortohisOttawa
concertthispastMayaftershepurchasedtheVIPMeetandGreetpack-
age.AsNursingWeekwassoonapproaching,Ludwigseizedtheoppor-
tunitytoaskifhewouldmindsigningsomethingforthenurses.
“Hewasverypersonable,genuinelycaringandinterestedinhearing
allaboutTimmins,”Ludwigsaid,addingsheisalong-timesupporterof
theBryanAdamsFoundation,setupafterthetsunamistrucksouthern
Asia in2005 to improve thequalityofpeople’s livesaround theworld
throughfinancialhelpandsupport.“Hesaidhewouldbeveryhappyto
writeapersonalmessagetothenursestoacknowledgethemandwish
themwell.”
Thatmessage,writtenonthebackofaconcertprogram,read“Happy
NursingWeekTimmins2012,”completewithahappyface!Itwascircu-
latedtoallhospitalnursesduringNursingWeek,alongwithaphotoof
Adams(pictured).
“StaffwereverysurprisedandamazedtoseeamessagefromBryan
Adamsjustforthem,”saidLudwig.“Itprovidedaspecialaddedtouchto
acknowledgetheoutstandingworkandtirelessdedicationofthenurses
atTimminsandDistrictHospital.”
“We greatly appreciate the accolades and praise from a Canadian
musicicon,whotookthetimetorecognizeusandwishusaHappyNurs-
ingWeek‘StraightfromtheHeart,’”addedLocal10BargainingUnitPresi-
dentMarcieLawlor-Paquette,referencingoneofAdams’hitsongs.“On
behalfofallthenurses,thankyou,BryanAdams!”
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ONA News
OCTOBER 201212
ONA VP Learns Valuable Lessons During governor general ConferenceONA Region 4 Vice-President Dianne Leclair
has not only learned some valuable leader-
ship skills as a participant in the recent Gov-
ernor General’s Canadian Leadership Confer-
ence, she is hopeful that the important work
of her study group is making a real difference.
Leclair was one of only 231 participants
chosen from a cross-section of managers,
entrepreneurs and leaders from non-profit
organizations/unions throughout Canada to
participate in the 16-day Governor General’s
conference this past June, under the theme
“Leadership and Sustainable Communities.”
“The point of the conference is for lead-
ers from these vastly different backgrounds
to come together, work together and learn
to listen to each other,” said Leclair. “It was an
honour to be chosen to participate.”
After an opening plenary in Halifax, featuring eight guest speak-
ers, participants broke into 15-member groups and went on separate
study tours across the country. Leclair’s group, Quebec Deux (pictured,
top), toured several organizations and areas in that province to deter-
mine if they were sustainable. Included in her stops were the Cirque de
Soleil training camp, Leclerc Cookies, Wendake First Nations reserve, a
Rio Tinto aluminum smelter, which was in the midst of a lockout of its
employees at the time, a daycare agency, a hospital research facility,
and a meeting with then Quebec Prime Minister Jean Charest. They
also had the opportunity to speak to Quebec student protestors, and
learned the dispute was not just about tuition fee hikes, as largely por-
trayed in the media, but about cuts to social programs.
“Rio Tinto was an interesting community story,” said Leclair. “The
community was backing the locked out workers; they were receiving
groceries on tab, and banks were lowering their mortgages. However,
the company had been sold to an Australian-British corporation, and
we saw a real problem here because an overseas company has no ties
to the community.”
On the other hand, Cirque de Soleil, with its own housing, busi-
nesses and training programs for retired performers, was seen by the
group as an excellent example of a sustainable community, as was the
Wendake First Nations reserve, which is very proactive in the field of
economic development, assisting and hous-
ing approximately 120 businesses operating
in a range of sectors, including manufactur-
ing, services and tourism.
After just one day to prepare, all study
groups reconvened in Ottawa to give 15-min-
ute presentations on their key observations
to all participants and Governor General
David Johnston. There was one stipulation,
however. The groups could not speak about
anything that every member of their group
didn’t agree on.
“We were lucky because our group
worked really well together,” said Leclair.
“By day 13, I actually had forgotten who in
my group was in management and who was
from a union.”
She also learned many lessons along the
way, including “how well-respected nurses are no matter where you
go,” and the importance of having an open mind when listening to the
stories and opinions of others.
“People tell stories for a reason,” she said. “We learned not to have
preconceived notions before we went in and that whether we agreed
on everything they said, we needed to hear their opinions so we un-
derstood where they were coming from.”
Leclair said the hope from all members of the study group is that
their work has made a difference.
“We hope that our study group had an influence on the settling
of the Rio Tinto lockout, for example, and that the Governor General
will see that Wendake is as an excellent model for other reserves in
the country.”
Leclair, who has already been asked if she can help with the plan-
ning for a study group in her region for the next conference in four
years, said an unexpected bonus to her experience was the ability
to change some participants’ negative pre-conceived notions about
unions.
“If you can remove the stereotypes, you start to see people in
another light,” she said. “This was an exciting learning opportunity
that I will never have again. Plus, I came away with 14 wonderful new
friends!”
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OCTOBER 2012 13
After 20 years as ONA Chief Executive Officer, Lesley
Bell has left our organization to assume an interna-
tional position.
Bell, who also served as ONA President in 1990,
departed ONA last month to prepare for her new
position as the Nursing Policy Consultant, Socio-Eco-
nomic Welfare for the International Council of Nurses
(ICN) in Geneva, Switzerland. She will be attending
conferences for the council throughout the fall.
“As much as I look forward to my new position, it
will be difficult to leave ONA and the extraordinary
members and staff who take on each challenge as it comes,” Bell said.
“Whether it’s SARS, pay equity, health care restructuring or whatever
arises, ONA goes that extra mile.”
During her time at ONA, Bell, who served as a staff nurse at Ottawa’s
Salvation Army Grace General Hospital from 1977-1989, said the one
thing that has kept her personally committed and passionate is the re-
spect she has for registered nurses and allied health professionals.
“It has always inspired me to be a more vocal ad-
vocate for nursing,” she said, noting there “wouldn’t
be health care services in Ontario without our
members.”
While Bell has seen some low points over the
years, such as the way the government handled
the SARS crisis, and there are definitely challenges
ahead, she is very hopeful for the future, thanks to
ONA’s persistence, apparent in our unofficial motto
of “never, never, never give up.”
“Despite the decline in union membership in
Canada, nurses are still approaching ONA, and this union continues
to grow,” she said. “I will miss ONA, but I look forward to the new chal-
lenges I have ahead as I take my experiences here in Ontario and use
them on a more global scale at the ICN.”
ONA President Linda Haslam-Stroud has been appointed by
the Board of Directors as interim CEO until a replacement for Bell
is hired.
CEO Bids Farewell to ONA
Celebrating Those Who Service You!At a special celebration on September 19, 2012, ONA President Linda Haslam-Stroud and other members of the Board of
Directors recognized and acknowledged long-service and retiring staff for 2012, who serve our members diligently and
have contributed so much to making our union strong, efficient and effective. Pictured are (back row, left to right): Sue
McCulloch, Andre Proulx, Laurence Chen, Kapil Uppal, Haslam-Stroud, Chris Cuttress, Lawrence Walter, Vicki White, Katie
Hucker. Front row (left to right): Sharon Gall, Linda Read, Carolyn Prepp, Mary Jane Ellison, Angela Reeves, Colleen Ionson,
Jaclyn Hayes. Not pictured: Meg Aumand, Claude Boissonnault, Marg Ducie, Stephen Flaherty, Anna Gagliano, Pat Gibson,
Ralph Mills, Glen Oram, Jim Pauhl, Tina Shogren, Elizabeth Wall. Congratulations – and thank you – to all!
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ONA News
OCTOBER 201214
News iN BriefE The federal government has agreed to pay a group of nurses more than $150 million in a pay
equity settlement that dates back to 1978, putting an end to eight years of legal wran-
gling before the Canadian Human Rights Tribunal. A discrimination complaint was filed
in 2004 with the Canadian Human Rights Commission, stating the mainly female adjudi-
cators at the Canada Pension Plan’s disability program were performing the same job as
the mainly male medical advisers, but were paid far less. The settlement affects up to
1,000 current and former nurses, with some longtime employees set to receive up to
$250,000, plus interest, compensation for pain and suffering and extra pension.
E ONA has sent a letter of congratulations to the United Steelworkers (USW) Local 9490 on the
end of Rio Tinto’s six-month lockout of aluminum smelter workers in Alma, Quebec. USW
considers the ratification of a collective agreement that will run to the end of 2015 a
great victory for the workers and their supporters, stating a contributing factor was the
enormous solidarity shown by trade unions globally. Rio Tinto is the third-largest mining
company in the world (see pg. 12).
E Ontario is the first major jurisdiction in North America to provide human rights protections
to transgendered people after members of all three parties voted to amend the Ontario
Human Rights Code to add the terms “gender identity” and “gender expression.” New
Democrat Cheri DiNovo said the change will prevent discrimination when transgen-
dered people look for a job or a place to live, and expects other provinces and American
states to soon follow suit.
E Labour activists are calling the $200,000 fine of an Ontario construction company for the
deaths of four workers in a scaffolding accident three years ago a slap on the wrist. The
conviction for criminal negligence causing death against Metron Construction was the
first of its kind in Ontario under the Criminal Code. The incident occurred on Christmas
Eve 2009, when high-rise scaffolding snapped from a building in Toronto, sending four
workers plunging 13 floors to their deaths. One worker survived. Metron, which faced a
fine of up to $1-million, pleaded guilty and criminal charges against its owner, Joel
Swartz, were dropped. Following the incident, it was discovered that safety measures,
such as a fall protection system, were not in place, and the company also admitted to not
keeping proper training records or ensuring that the scaffold was properly maintained.
NAmesE Rhonda Seidman-Carlson, Chief Nursing Officer of The Scarborough Hospital (TSH), has
been named President of the Registered Nurses’ Association of Ontario. Seidman-Carl-
son, a member of the RNAO Board since 2006, is also Vice-President of Interprofessional
Practice at TSH.
E The Ontario Hospital Association has welcomed its new President and CEO Pat Campbell. Campbell, who has an undergraduate degree in nursing from the University of Western
Ontario and an MBA from York University, has served as CEO of Echo: Improving Wom-
en’s Health in Ontario and as President and CEO of both Grey Bruce Health Services and
Women’s College Hospital in Toronto.
SG_JI_ONA_2.6x10.25_Nov11_FINAL_NEW.ai 1 04/11/
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QUeeN’s pARk Update
OCTOBER 2012 15
We Got it Covered!
OHC News
There may have been no signs of rain in the forecast, but that didn’t stop ONA
members from joining the Ontario Health Coalition and other supporters at River-
dale Park in Toronto on July 18, 2012 to form two giant human sculptures in the
form of an umbrella, reading “Medicare – We’re Covered” and a question mark
with the words, “Harper – Care” underneath. The sculptures, formed one week be-
fore the premiers of every province and territory met to discuss what their next
steps would be for the 2014 Health Accord, symbolized public medicare and the
threats faced by it. The group is demanding that Prime Minister Stephen Harper
return to the negotiating table with the premiers to dialogue about the future of
health care, and ensure that funding beyond 2014 will adequately address the
health care needs of all Canadians equally.
E On July 13, 2012, Ontario appointed Brenda Flaherty as supervisor for the Waterloo Wellington
Community Care Access Centre (CCAC) to
address leadership, governance and operational
issues. The appointment comes in response to a
recommendation by the Waterloo Wellington Local
Health Integration Network (LHIN) Board, based
on the findings of a recent organizational review
and report. Flaherty, who is currently Executive
Vice-President at Hamilton Health Sciences, will
work to implement the report’s recommendations
and will ensure that CCAC clients in the region
receive quality care, better access and value for
their health care dollars. As supervisor, Flaherty will
report directly to the Minister of Health and Long-
Term Care and be responsible for:
I Implementing the recommendations contained
in the organizational review report.
I Addressing governance and leadership issues,
and taking actions that are appropriate and
necessary for the proper functioning of the
Waterloo Wellington CCAC.
I Working in cooperation with the Board of the
Waterloo Wellington CCAC to provide direction
to the senior management team, as appropriate.
I Providing regular updates to the Ministry and
Waterloo Wellington LHIN, as appropriate.
I Providing a written report to the Minister of
Health and Long-Term Care upon completion of
her duties.
E Local Health Integration Networks announced
in August a total of $16-million in funding for
ambulance offload nursing in hospital emergencies
for 18 municipalities for 2012-13.
E Also in August, Local Health Integration Networks announced level-of-care fund
per diems for long-term care homes. Effective April 1, 2012, 1 per cent increases are
provided for resident care to the nursing and personal care (.86 cents) and program
and support services (.08 cents) envelopes. Effective July 1, 2012, the raw food (.22
cents) and accommodation envelopes ($1.09) also received increases. The total
funding for per diem envelopes for long-term care homes rises from $152.94 to
$155.19, which also includes funding for raw food and accommodation to cover
inflationary cost increases. While any increase is welcome, ONA is concerned the
one per cent may not be sufficient to maintain current nursing and personal care.
We will be monitoring the impact of this funding.
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OCCUpAtiONAl Health & safety
OCTOBER 201216
The work of ONA member Elizabeth Hart in
bringing isolation gowns to her hospital is
having a ripple effect in the province.
Elizabeth Hart, who works at Bluewater
Health in Sarnia and is ONA’s occupational
health and safety representative, researched
and tirelessly lobbied her hospital for new
Association of Advancement of Medical
Instrumentation-approved gowns, which,
thanks to her persistence, are now in use
hospital-wide.
Having read Hart’s story in the February
2012 issue of Front Lines (pg. 16), Clarice Watt,
a Critical Care Educator at Timmins and Dis-
trict Hospital and Local 10 representative on
the Region 1 Occupational Health and Safety
group, decided to do some lobbying herself.
“I read Elizabeth’s story and knew imme-
diately that fluid resistant gowns were need-
ed by the front-line staff at my hospital,” she
said. “Just the month before, our Critical Care
Unit had an MRSA-positive patient with a
large wound that needed to be irrigated and
redressed. The yellow gowns we were wear-
ing would not have protected our workers.
“On top of that, there is a risk of spread-
ing the infection to other patients. I realized
the emergency staff never know what bodily
fluids they might come in contact with when
a patient arrives, vital signs absent.”
Watt, who sits on her hospital’s Joint
Health and Safety Committee, began by
copying the Front Lines article about Hart,
forwarding it to her fellow JHSC members
and asking to have it added to a meeting
agenda. In turn, the JHSC recommended the
issue be addressed by the hospital’s Infection
Control Committee, which agreed it was an
area that had been overlooked.
“Our infection Control Lead asked for cost-
ing from purchasing,” said Watt, who holds a
Canadian Nurses Association certification in
Critical Care Nursing. “A gown was decided
on and in the interim, a gown already used
in pharmacy has been made available for ER
and Critical Care. The better quality gown will
soon be available after the current stock of
pharmacy gowns is depleted.
“It took four months to get through the
committees, get costing and samples, but we
will now have proper protection for staff.”
Watt is now forwarding information
about the gowns to other sites in Local 10,
which reaches as far north as the James Bay
coast. Few of the other sites already have flu-
id resistant gowns in place and Watt is con-
fident they will benefit tremendously from
Hart’s hard work.
“I owe Elizabeth a big thank you for bring-
ing this issue forward and having it published
in Front Lines,” concluded Watt. “Her hard
work on the issue of fluid resistant isolation
gowns has been inspiring to us all.”
Hart said it is an “amazing feeling” know-
ing that all her hard work paid off, not only
for members at her hospital, but for those at
other facilities as well.
“I cannot be more pleased that others
have been inspired and change is happening
for other members throughout the province,”
she said. “I am overjoyed with the interest
and multiple e-mails I have received request-
ing further information so others can get the
proper isolation gowns implemented in their
facilities. I hope that they keep coming! As al-
ways, if anyone is interested in further infor-
mation, I have the references and would be
more than happy to share them.”
Hart can be reached at hartboys@cogeco.ca.
I read Elizabeth’s story in Front Lines and knew immediately that fluid resistant gowns were needed by the front-line staff at my hospital —Clarice Watt, a Critical Care Educator at Timmins and district Hospital
Member’s Fight for isolation gowns inspires Others
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OCTOBER 2012 17
CFNU News
Canadian Federation of Nurses Unions (CFNU) union
leaders from across the country, including ONA Presi-
dent Linda Haslam-Stroud and First Vice-President
Vicki McKenna, gathered in Halifax this past July to
magnify a message to the Council of Canadians that
governments must pull together for public health
care and bring the federal government back to the
table to improve health care for all Canadians.
To assist in delivering the message, the CFNU
dropped a large banner on the historic Morris Tea
building (top photo), a high profile, well-travelled
area facing the hotel where the premiers were meet-
ing to discuss, among other issues, the renewal of the
Health Accord, which expires in 2014. Other ads were
placed on the Haligonia harbor cruise ship and in the
ferry terminal.
Haslam-Stroud and McKenna also helped staff a
table (bottom photo) to answer questions and ask the
public to sign postcards urging governments to “pull
together for public health care.”
A decade after the national Health Accord brought
hope for a national home care plan and drug strategy,
we’re still waiting for action, the CFNU said, adding
that Canadians expect premiers and the federal gov-
ernment to sit down together and agree to a vision
and plan of action to go forward with medicare.
LEAP
Complete Your Annual CNO Membership Renewal on Time!
Picture This, Premiers!
ONA reminds you of the importance of completing your Annual
Membership Renewal Process with the College of Nurses of Ontario
(CNO) on time.
If you don’t, you could find yourself suspended for not paying your
annual fee, meaning you will be unable to work as a nurse. Worse,
you will not be permitted to reinstate your registration if there is an
outstanding complaint or report at the CNO regarding your practice,
regardless of the merit. Even if you have not yet been informed of
this complaint or report, you will not be permitted to reinstate your
registration and work as a nurse until it is resolved, which could take
two years or longer.
Nurses who are the subject of an ongoing investigation or pro-
ceeding are permitted to renew their registration, provided they do
so within the time limits set by the CNO. It is extremely important that
all nurses, and especially nurses who know that they are involved in a
College process, renew their registrations on time.
Remember while ONA’s Legal Expense Assistance Plan (LEAP)
does not cover general matters and concerns related to registration,
it does assist members with complaints and reports at their regula-
tory college.
For more information about LEAP, visit www.ona.org. Click on the
“Member Services” tab, then “LEAP.”
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OCTOBER 201218
ONA’s third annual Leadership Conference was not only
a wonderful opportunity for new ONA leaders to come
together and learn and share information about ONA
and beyond, it provided us with an important glimpse
into why they wanted to become active in the first place.
Twenty-seven Bargaining Unit Presidents and ONA
representatives from all re-
gions of the province gath-
ered at the Humber Institute
of Technology and Advanced
Learning in Toronto from June
11-15, 2012 to learn the ins and
outs of their challenging role
to better represent their mem-
bers.
The FormatThrough a series of lectures,
panel presentations, meetings with members of the
ONA Board of Directors and small group work, the par-
ticipants discussed the workings of ONA, negotiations
and grievances, the history of nursing unions and the
broader labour movement, membership services, lead-
ership styles, mentoring and effective communication –
to name a few. The leaders, who come from a variety of
sectors throughout the province, were also required to
develop an action plan for the next 12 months.
Why Become Active?Perhaps the most interesting dialogue of the week for
ONA centred around the question, “What motivated you to be in-
volved in nursing unionism?”
While the answers were as varied as the individuals in the room
itself, several themes emerged, from a strong family history of union-
ism to a desire to improve the working lives of their members.
“I wanted a say in my working conditions and to gain respect from
the employer for the nurses in my facility,” said Local 238 Bargaining
Unit President Kerry Bell, who was instrumental in ONA’s success-
ful organizing drive of Halton Healthcare Services earlier this year. “I
wanted the support, guidance and solidarity of nurses from across
the province.”
“I wanted to see change and be an advocate
for other nurses and their rights,” echoed Local
25 Bargaining Unit President Tammy Lowe from
Guelph General Hospital, while Local 1 Coordi-
nator Jody Brown from Brant Centre added that
“it was a realization that, as a union, we could
ensure that RNs received the
respect they deserved from
employers.”
For others, ensuring a
safe working environment for
their members was the num-
ber one motivating factor.
“I am an advocate for
healthy work environments,”
stated Local 75 Vice-President
Angela Spiler from St. Jo-
seph’s Healthcare, while Local
74 Bargaining Unit President
Yue Lucy Zhao from Extendi-
care New Orchard Lodge not-
ed that she wanted “to learn
how to protect our nurses
and promote a healthy and
fair workplace.”
In light of the current
economic climate and def-
icit-reduction measures in-
stigated by the government,
Local 115’s Benjamin Ramirez
Jimenez from Baycrest Centre for Geriatric Care said a key reason for
becoming active is because of the “the dangerous attacks unionism is
going through nowadays.”
Local 105 Bargaining Unit President Cindy Sandercock from Nor-
thumberland Hills Hospital, summed it up well when she said, “I real-
ized that if I was going to be able to effect change, I had to be involved
in my union” – a sentiment repeated by Local 124’s Sylvia Treble from
Headwaters Healthcare in Orangeville, who said, “I thought I might be
able to make a difference by stepping up to the plate.”
Judging by this impressive group of new leaders, we have no
doubt they will make a difference!
ONA’s Third Annual Leadership Conference
edUCAtiON
New Leaders Share What Motivated Them to Become Active
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OCTOBER 2012 19
Human RigHts and Equity
As an inclusive organization, ONA works tire-
lessly to acknowledge and support the diver-
sity of our membership and promote equity
in the workplace. And one of the key ways we
do so is by holding a Human Rights and Eq-
uity Caucus each year, which all members are
invited to attend.
The Caucus allows ONA members to dis-
cuss issues relating to discrimination and
workplace harassment, identify practical so-
lutions, and receive education to broaden
their knowledge and understanding of key
human rights issues.
Information gleaned from the Caucus is
invaluable to ONA, as it helps us understand
the issues that our members are facing on
the front lines and determine our human
rights and equity priorities for the upcoming
year.
Save the Date!Under the theme, Confronting Workplace
Conflict: Empowering Members to Engage in
Difficult Conversations, the Human Rights and
Equity Caucus will kick off the ONA Biennial
Convention on Monday, November 19, 2012,
at the Fairmont Royal York Hotel in down-
town Toronto. Check the ONA website at
www.ona.org to learn more about and/or to
register for the Caucus, along with the Bien-
nial Convention and/or the ONA education
session on Friday, November 23, 2012.
Breakout SessionsAn important and well-received component
of the Caucus are the breakout sessions,
which are held for the five designated equity
groups – Members of Aboriginal Descent,
Members with Disabilities, Francophone
Members, Gay/Lesbian/Bisexual/Transgen-
dered Members and Racialized Members –
and the Friends and Allies group, with sepa-
rate meeting rooms provided for each.
Only members who are part of a partic-
ular equity group may attend that group’s
breakout session. We feel this fosters a safe
environment where members feel accepted
and understood, while providing an oppor-
tunity for them to start an open discussion
about their experiences and focus on their
issues.
The goal of the breakout sessions is for
each group to develop their own strategies
for addressing workplace issues. ONA mem-
bers who have an interest in human rights
and equity and who do not belong to a
designated group are invited to attend the
Friends and Allies breakout session.
Education Session Education is provided to Caucus members
each year to help them better understand
and cope with emerging issues and themes
of the day. Participants learn invaluable in-
sights into the importance of self-empow-
erment and working together towards com-
mon goals.
This year, we are very excited that Kath-
leen Bartholomew, a registered nurse, au-
thor, educator and dynamic presenter, will be
speaking on the topic of her breakthrough
professional book, Ending Nurse-to-Nurse
Hostility Through Powerful Conversations.
As the manager of a 57-bed surgical unit
in Seattle, Washington, Bartholomew trans-
formed a culture of horizontal violence into
one where staff felt a sense of belonging
and professional fulfillment. Through per-
sonal narratives, combined with recent sta-
tistics, Bartholomew will demonstrate how
participants can move away from destruc-
tive modes of communication and embrace
healthy conversation skills.
Networking Event for RepsFollowing the Caucus meeting, the Provin-
cial Human Rights and Equity Team will host
a networking event for Bargaining Unit Hu-
man Rights and Equity Representatives. This
is an informal gathering where ONA repre-
sentatives have an opportunity to meet and
network with each other, members of the
team, staff facilitators, and ONA’s Board of Di-
rectors. Members share their insights, experi-
ences and strategies for handling a variety of
workplace issues. This is a great opportunity
to build solidarity, capacity and enthusiasm
amongst ONA’s human rights and equity rep-
resentatives.
ONA’s Human Rights and Equity Caucus is
just another example of how ONA is achiev-
ing our steadfast commitment to diversity
and equity issues. We encourage you to get
involved in this important event.
Biennial Caucus Breakdown!Ending Nurse-to-Nurse Hostility Through Powerful Conversations
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OCTOBER 201220
stUdeNt Affiliation
“What can ONA members learn from students? A lot if you ask us, and even more if you include us.”
In April 2012, Carly Whitmore, a third-year nursing student at Trent University, became the Ontario
Regional Director of the Canadian Nursing Students’ Association (CNSA). Front Lines wanted to
know what ONA’s student affiliation means to her, what it’s like to be a young nursing student in
today’s health care environment and what ONA members and students can learn from each other.
A Chat with Carly Whitmore, CNSA Ontario Regional Director
Front Lines: Why do you want to become
a nurse?
Carly Whitmore: For me, this is an answer
that changes day-to-day. Some days when I
am extremely motivated, I will say that I want
to become a nurse because I want to change
the world. I want to research and improve
practice. On other days – usually after a partic-
ularly hard exam or a long day at clinical – I will
justify my career choice with the knowledge
that I will have a good paying and secure job
for the future. However, the one constant that
I have always maintained is the notion that I
want to make a difference. In my mind, I can
be the passionate, driven, strong and intelli-
gent person that I want to be – and get paid
to do so – as a nurse. Nursing is a lifestyle that
I adopted the moment I entered the program
and it is one that keeps me motivated to finish.
I look forward to becoming a nurse in the fu-
ture and doing all that I can to be a great one.
FL: Studying to be a nurse must keep
you extremely busy. Why did you want to
become active in CNSa on top of that?
CW: My journey with the CNSA started
when I first went to the national conference
in Hamilton two years ago. I remember sit-
ting in during Jean Watson’s keynote address
and being amazed at the incredible energy
that was in the room. I was surrounded by
nursing students from all walks of life and we
all had a common goal. It was incredibly ex-
citing and I knew I wanted to become a part
of that energy. The CNSA is the voice of nurs-
ing students across Canada and we are proud
FL: How important is it to you to be a
student affiliate member of ONa?
CW: Being a student affiliate member of
ONA is very important to me. My father has
been a union member for 35 years, and I have
been a union member at my part-time job for
seven years. Unions provide the support and
backing required to really move mountains.
Having ONA as a support for the CNSA is incred-
ible for not only providing great networking
and professional development opportunities,
but also for the respect that is granted for being
a part of such an organization. We as Canadians
are very lucky to have the working conditions
that we have been granted and it is due, in part,
to the hard work of unions like ONA.
FL: Do you have any thoughts on
how ONa can raise our profile to student
nurses, so they know who we are before
looking for that first job?
CW: That is a great question. I think that
when most new graduates are looking for
their first job, they are looking for security and
options to further education. By this I mean
that new graduates desire a job that will pro-
vide them with competitive pay, the options
to advance to full-time status and allow them
to continue their education in ways that ex-
cite them personally. These are all items that
unionized institutions can provide for employ-
ees. I believe that the best way to raise ONA’s
profile is to ensure that the educational piece
is present during our undergraduate educa-
tion. Having Local representatives discuss ONA
and the benefits of a union with the students
early on allows for that dialogue to open up
and for learning to occur.
of the fact that we are a group that is operat-
ed by nursing students who want to improve
nursing and the nursing student experience.
In doing so, we advocate for health, for vul-
nerable populations, and for any issue that
will affect Canadians now and in the future.
FL: How do you balance the two?
CW: Being completely honest, I know that I
am going to be a busy student this year. There
are many goals and objectives that we as a
Board have laid out and I am also in my third
year of the program. I do not have a set plan as
to how I will balance the two major commit-
ments; I instead have faith that I will be able
to pull it all together. As I said, the CNSA and
my education complement each other and I
believe that I will be able to draw parallels and
thus make the most of my time.
FL: What are your goals as Ontario
Regional Director (ORD)?
CW: I believe that my biggest goal for my
term is to not only be a great representative
for nursing students across Ontario, but to also
provide development opportunities for stu-
dents. I want to encourage nursing students
to get involved in their regions and to use their
voices to strengthen our province and country.
It is not enough to just receive your education;
there are many chances to really make a differ-
ence. The promotion of events, dissemination
of information and encouragement of dialogue
around key issues is very important to me and I
hope that I can bring this to nursing students at
a level that we are able to act upon.
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OCTOBER 2012 21
ONA Names Student Scholarship Winner
ONA: Beyond Just Collective Bargaining“The labour movement was the principal force that transformed misery and
despair into hope and progress.”
— Martin Luther King Jr.
Long before deciding to enter the nursing profession, I would often find myself
reading my mom’s copy of Front Lines, the Ontario Nurses’ Association’s (ONA)
magazine. This acted as an introduction to the work that ONA does on behalf of
nurses in collective bargaining with employers to determine issues such as wages,
the conditions of work, as well as worker security, and its engagement in political
activities to increase awareness about issues related to nurses and patient care.
The formation of ONA on October 13, 1973 acted as an economic and social
reform for nurses that gave rise to unemployment insurance, pensions, and new
wage levels. Before the formation of ONA, the workload of nurses was not regu-
lated, but as the nursing profession slowly became a unionized job, employees
started to work under conditions negotiated through the process of collective
bargaining.
By allowing its members to voice any issues or concerns that they might face
in their workplace, ONA fights for improving workplace safety through legisla-
tion. For example, after ONA’s rigorous public campaign bringing to light the
safety issues around accidental injuries from unsafe needles, the government has
implemented that syringes with engineered safety devices be used.
Most importantly, ONA ensures that hospitals do not balance their budgets by
eliminating nursing positions and the hours of patient care that they deliver, by
voicing the implications of cuts in public service to the government and by raising
public awareness through campaigns. ONA is a union formed by nurses that con-
tinues to fight for the rights of nurses in the workplace and patient care beyond
just collective bargaining with an employer.
ONA has named the Ontario recipient of the 2012 Canadian Federation of Nurses
Unions (CFNU) Scholarship.
The lucky recipient is Ioana Gheorghiu, a first-year nursing student in York
University’s BScN program, who is the daughter of ONA member Carmen
Gheorghiu. The scholarship is intended to assist students in accredited nurs-
ing education programs throughout Canada. As a member of the CFNU, ONA
is entitled to one of the 10, $1,000 student scholarships awarded each year.
Applicants must be an immediate family member of an ONA member and
must submit an essay of 300 words or less on the topic, “The Importance of
the Ontario Nurses’ Association for Nurses” along with their application. Ioa-
na’s entire essay is printed below.
Congratulations, Ioana, and good luck with your studies!
FL: What issues do student nurses currently face?
CW: There are many issues that are coming to the front
lines in regard to nursing students. High tuition costs, in-
tense class schedules that do not allow for part-time jobs,
institutions that make it difficult for students to participate
in professional development, and the various political is-
sues and initiatives that are driving media discussions on a
daily basis are all forefront in our minds. However, of great
importance right now is the issue of the loss of the Cana-
dian Registered Nurse Examination [to an American exam].
Students across the country are saddened by this decision
and worried about the future of nursing in Canada.
FL: What can ONa members do to help you with these
issues?
CW: Continue to support us! Read our position state-
ments, advocate for us and listen to our voices. We are
working hard to become involved in decisions that con-
cern us and appreciate information that allows us to stay
current. All too often do we feel left out and disregarded
when key decisions are being made. By inviting students
out to local and provincial events, we are able to par-
ticipate and develop. Students want to be engaged and
many times are just waiting for the opportunity.
FL: What can ONa members learn from students?
CW: As a nursing student, I ask a lot of questions.
These questions are sometimes technical in nature, such
as confirming that I am completing a skill correctly, and
sometimes I just need reassurance. However, I find that
the best teachers or instructors are the ones that ask us,
as students, questions. I believe that ONA members could
learn a lot from us as students if they just asked what it
is that they wanted to know. For example, I have already
provided my ideas on how ONA could raise their profile
to students but I am just one student with one opinion.
I am sure if you asked other students you would receive
some great ideas. There can be a power divide between
students and RNs and it is unfortunate because a lot of
sharing and collaborating can be done between these
two groups. I do not believe that nurses “eat their young,”
but I do feel that sometimes nurses do not take the time
to understand our context as students. We are nervous,
and to be honest, sometimes terrified that we might mess
something up, but we also are educated with best prac-
tice. We are up-to-date on our research, can utilize the
newest technology and are very enthusiastic to be learn-
ing. What can ONA members learn from students? A lot if
you ask us, and even more if you include us.
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OCTOBER 201222
The following is a sampling of recent key awards and/or decisions in one or more of the following areas: rights arbitration, interest arbitration, Workplace Safety and Insurance Board (WSIB), Long-Term Disability (LTD) and Ontario Labour Relations Board.
AwARds ANd deCisiONs: the work of our Union!
The following is a sampling of recent key awards and/or decisions in one or more of the following areas: rights arbitration, interest arbitration, Workplace Safety and Insurance Board (WSIB), Long-Term Disability
RightsEmployer cannot discipline griever second time for same allegationsONA and Thunder Bay Regional Health Sciences Centre
(Arbitrator Mary Ellen Cummings, August
13, 2012)
The grievor received a 10-day suspension for
alleged patient abuse; another nurse who
was present during the alleged incident was
ultimately terminated.
The grievor testified at the hearing for the
terminated nurse. After testifying, the hospi-
tal terminated her employment, alleging that
new facts came to light showing that she was
not truthful during the investigation and
that her involvement in the alleged abuse
was greater than the hospital had previously
known.
ONA filed a grievance challenging the
termination, and immediately referred the
grievance to arbitration. We argued at the
outset of that hearing that the grievor was
subjected to “double jeopardy” in that the
hospital could not terminate her for the same
allegations for which she had previously re-
ceived a 10-day suspension.
ONA challenged the hospital’s position
that it became aware of new facts when the
grievor testified in the other hearing. On that
point, ONA argued that the hospital did a
full investigation of the matter and was well
aware of the grievor’s involvement in the in-
cident. Moreover, if the hospital felt she was
untruthful, they should have made that as-
sessment at the time she was suspended.
The arbitrator ruled that all of the infor-
mation the hospital was relying on to termi-
nate the grievor was available to them during
their investigation. This included information
as to whether the grievor was being honest
during the investigation process. The arbi-
trator agreed with ONA that the grievor was
placed in “double jeopardy” and the hospital
could not discipline her a second time for the
same set of allegations.
The arbitrator ordered that the grievor be
reinstated immediately and compensated for
lost wages and benefits. ONA is in the process
of bringing an application before the court to
enforce the arbitration award, as the hospital
has yet to reinstate the member. The hospital
claims that it will be judicially reviewing the
award.
wsiBONA’s work results in $1.2-million settlement for member!East Hospital
(July 20, 2012)
ONA has received an important win at the
Workplace Safety and Insurance Appeals
Tribunal (WSIA), the highest level of appeal
of Workplace Safety and Insurance Board
(WSIB) decisions.
In 2004, a 20-year nurse suffered a low
back disc herniation while working for an
employer with whom she had been em-
ployed less than a year. Her WSIB claim was
allowed and she received full loss of earn-
ings (LOE) benefits for a year. WSIB then ter-
minated her benefits after deciding she was
partially disabled – she received a 16 per cent
permanent impairment award – but that her
continued inability to work was due to a pre-
existing condition, not the work injury.
After several return to work mediation
meetings, the employer asserted they could
accommodate the worker for her back injury
(the compensable injury), but not the pre-ex-
isting condition and, in particular, the narcot-
ics she had to take for that condition.
The worker had cooperated with the re-
turn to work process, but admitted to the
WSIB in early 2005 that she did not believe
she could return to any work. By that point
she was confined to a wheelchair because of
her back pain. She was granted Healthcare
of Ontario Pension Plan (HOOPP) disability
benefits.
This nurse had had two radical mastec-
tomy surgeries in the 1990s, followed by re-
constructive surgery, which left her with a
particular chronic pain syndrome for which
the only treatment available was pain medi-
cation. Her condition caused periods of lost
time of up to two weeks at a time.
At the time of the work accident, she
was being stabilized on a narcotic medica-
tions regimen that allowed her to continue
to work. She was filling a temporary full-time
position at the time of the accident and had
applied and been accepted for another full-
time position. She found she could manage
her pain and the effects of the medication
(Oxycontin long release) by not taking it on
her work days. Within five weeks of the work
accident, her Oxycontin dosage was qua-
drupled and she had to start taking the short
acting Oxycontin for breakthrough pain as
well as significant doses of another pain
medication.
After a final return to work mediation
with WSIB in 2005, the WSIB terminated her
benefits. They continued to pay for her nar-
cotics medication, however, as well as other
medications she had been prescribed since
the accident (anti-depressants) with the ex-
ception of the Oxycontin long release be-
cause she had been on that medication prior
to the accident.
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OCTOBER 2012 23
An Appeals hearing was held in 2008.
ONA had obtained additional medical infor-
mation to show that the work-related back
injury was the cause of the worker’s ongo-
ing total disability; that the back injury more
likely than not aggravated the pre-existing
pain condition as well as causing an addi-
tional chronic pain condition. The Appeals
Resolution Officer denied the appeal on the
grounds that she believed the worker simply
chose a “sedentary lifestyle.”
ONA appealed to the WSIAT, and at the
hearing presented on several issues, includ-
ing Chronic Pain Disability and Psychotrau-
matic Disability due to the injury. Our pri-
mary claim was for the worker to be granted
full LOE benefits from 2005 to the age of 65,
a period of approximately 25 years; alterna-
tively, if WSIAT were to find that the worker
was entitled to benefits, but not full benefits
due to the severity of the pre-existing condi-
tion, ONA argued that WSIAT should award
partial benefits to the age of 65.
The WSIAT agreed with our position that
the worker would not have suffered LOE were
it not for the work-related injury; that prior
to the accident she had been able to sustain
full-time employment and no LOE; and that
the increase in medication alone (of which
the WSIB continued to pay 97 per cent) sub-
stantiated that the work-related injury was
and continues to be a significant contribut-
ing factor to the worker’s inability to perform
any work. They allowed full LOE benefits
from 2005 to the age of 65, approximately 25
years, totaling close to $1.2-million.
Importance to ONA: This win under-
scores the complexity of issues that our in-
jured members can face, and the value of
having high caliber representation from
ONA’s WSIB Team.
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ONTARiO NURSES’ ASSOCiATiON
85 Grenville St., Ste. 400
Toronto ON M5S 3A2
November 19-23, 2012Human Rights and Equity Caucus
“Confronting Workplace Conflict: Empowering Members to Engage in Difficult Conversations”
November 19, 2012
Gala Dinner – Celebrate ONA’s 40 Years!November 21, 2012
Education SessionVital Signs of Labour Law
November 23, 2012
ONA’s 40th Anniversary Biennial Convention
FAIRMONT ROYAL YORK HOTEL TORONTO
For more information and to register, log onto the ONA website homepage at www.ona.org.
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