Right now the Ontario Nurses Association (ONA) is bargaining with the Ontario government for better wages, increased staffing and better working conditions. As frontline workers constantly putting their health at risk for patients, nurses deserve more than wage suppression and burn out. The Ford government pushed through Bill 124, which limits public sector workers to a mere 1% wage increase. This is shocking given that inflation rose 6.8% last year. What an insulting way to thank nurses for their heroic work during the pandemic! Your solidarity is what nurses need right now. Join the Nurses’ All Out Protest this Thursday, March 2nd at the Sheraton Centre from 12:00 PM – 2:00 PM.
I will join the Nurses’ ALL OUT Protest on March 2
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Join the Day of Action for 10 Permanent Paid Sick Days.
Healthcare workers like nurses and personal support workers are the backbone of our public healthcare system. They work hard to keep us healthy and safe, and they deserve fair wages and safe levels of staffing in order to ensure better healthcare for everyone. Currently, Ontario has a shortage of approximately 25,000 nurses. Ford’s failure to provide decent wages and working conditions has forced nurses to leave the province or leave the field entirely to earn enough to live on and to recover from exhaustion and burnout. That’s why Workers’ Action Centre members along with our Justice for Workers allies have been painting this province pink with solidarity posters (find posters to download here). On March 2, make your support even more visible by joining the rally as a powerful demonstration of your commitment to both workers’ rights and a good quality public healthcare system.
Let’s not forget that since the pandemic began, Premier Ford’s refusal to legislate 10 permanent paid sick days has been putting an extra burden on Ontario’s already strained public healthcare system. All workers have are 3 temporary paid sick days only for COVID – if you haven’t used yours up already. Due to the public outcry, the Ford government only implemented the Worker Income Protection Benefits (WIPB) over a year after the pandemic began and has never topped up the 3 paid days first offered in April 2021.
On March 31, those 3 temporary paid sick days are set to expire. This Wednesday, March 1, join the day of action to demand 10 permanent, employer-paid sick days. Invite a friend to go with you to put up paid sick days posters at your MPP office (download paid sick days posters here). You can also put them up at hospitals as you paint your neighbourhood pink. Please take photos, post them on social media and tag your Member of Provincial Parliament. With all our voices raised in unity, we can win better workplaces and healthier communities.
Visit the Justice for Workers resources page to find all of the posters, leaflets, petitions and pledge sheets.