Nursing unions across Ontario have been calling for better care conditions in long-term care homes. The Ontario Nurses’ Association (ONA) organized 37 pickets at for-profit nursing homes across the province, urging corporations to prioritize resident care over profits.
Erin Ariss, president of the union, emphasized the importance of quality care for vulnerable residents in these corporate-owned facilities. The union will soon begin contract negotiations with its 3,000 members in this sector, pushing for staffing ratios and equal wages with hospital workers to improve care and attract more staff.
Ariss highlighted the challenges of providing adequate care with current staffing levels and stressed the need for corporations to invest in staffing and wages. The union is specifically targeting companies like Extendicare for prioritizing profit over care.
ONA represents over 68,000 registered nurses and health-care professionals, along with 18,000 nursing student affiliates who work in various healthcare settings. The union is committed to advocating for better care conditions for residents in long-term care homes and ensuring that nursing staff are fairly compensated for their work.
