Ontario's Front-Line RNs Celebrate Labour Day

TORONTO, Sept. 2, 2016 /CNW/ - Ontario Nurses' Association (ONA) members will gather to mark Labour Day 2016 in cities across the province this weekend. Front-line registered nurses (RNs) and allied health professionals will march in Labour Day parades and participate in events to show their solidarity.

For more than 40 years, ONA has been a leader on human rights issues, and is a champion of equity observances, including Labour Day. As the union representing 62,000 front-line registered nurses and allied health professionals working across Ontario, as well as more than 14,000 nursing student affiliates, ONA advocates for safe working conditions for members in all sectors of health care, enabling them to focus on providing quality patient care.

"ONA continues to advocate for our front-line RNs and the patients who need and deserve the care we provide," notes ONA President Linda Haslam-Stroud, RN. "Although there continue to be challenges facing our dedicated RNs, ONA never gives up in its efforts to advocate for safe staffing levels, an end to workplace violence and an end to harassment and discrimination."

This year, the theme for Labour Day is "Time for Change – Our Future Depends on It." Toronto RNs will be marching in the city's Labour Day parade on September 5.

"Labour Day is an opportunity to pause, reflect and appreciate the work that thousands of Ontarians do for the good of others," says Haslam-Stroud. "It's also a time to remember that unionized workers – including registered nurses – care about and advocate for the health and well-being of other workers."

ONA is the union representing 62,000 registered nurses and allied health professionals, as well as more than 14,000 nursing student affiliates, providing care in hospitals, long-term care facilities, public health, the community, clinics and industry.

Visit us at: www.ona.org; Facebook.com/OntarioNurses; Twitter.com/OntarioNurses

SOURCE Ontario Nurses' Association

Ontario Nurses' Association: Sheree Bond, [phone], ext. 2430; cell: [phone]; [email protected]; Melanie Levenson, [phone], ext. 2369; [email protected]