Media Advisory - The Ottawa Hospital Nurses to Protest Bills 124, 195

Nurses rally at Goldie Ghamari, MPP's office

OTTAWA, ON, July 28, 2020 /CNW/ - Front-line registered nurses, nurse practitioners, registered practical nurses and health-care professionals are keeping up the pressure on the province to repeal Bills 124 and 195.

On Wednesday, the determined workers will once again rally in front of Carleton MPP Goldie Ghamari's constituency office, calling for the provincial government to repeal wage suppression legislation, Bill 124 and repeal Bill 195, an undemocratic piece of legislation with serious, long-term repercussions for health-care workers.

Bill 124, say the Ontario Nurses' Association (ONA) members, discriminates against female-dominated professions and interferes with the right to freely collectively bargain, in breach of their Charter rights. This was demonstrated in recent a arbitration decision for hospital-sector nurses and health-care professionals. The arbitrator noted that his hands were tied by the bill when it came to determining monetary issues for these front-line workers. Bill 124 limits wage increases to a maximum increase of one per cent in total compensation each year for three years.

Bill 195 extends powers under the Emergency Act for the next two years and allows employers unfettered power to redeploy workers, cancel leaves and vacation and override provisions in freely negotiated collective agreements.

ONA is the union representing more than 68,000 registered nurses and health-care professionals, as well as 18,000 nursing student affiliates, providing care in hospitals, long-term care facilities, public health, the community, clinics and industry.

www.ona.org; Facebook.com/OntarioNurses; Twitter.com/OntarioNurses; instagram.com/ontario.nurses

SOURCE Ontario Nurses' Association