Media Advisory - Virtual Rally to be Held as Anger Grows at Wage Suppression Legislation for Registered Nurses and Health-Care Professionals

TORONTO, May 27, 2021 /CNW/ - As anger at the Ford government's wage-suppression legislation – Bill 124 – grows, front-line registered nurses and health-care professionals – members of the Ontario Nurses' Association (ONA) – will come together at a virtual rally tomorrow to call for the bill to be rescinded.

Hundreds of nurses and health-care professionals have indicated they will join the rally – set for May 28 from noon to 1:15 p.m. – to demand action and respect for the largely female-dominated professions targeted in this legislation by the Ford government.

"This piece of legislation clearly shows the disrespect the Premier has for the dedicated, highly educated and mostly female workers who have sacrificed so much throughout the pandemic," says ONA President Vicki McKenna, RN. "It has been clear since the start of the pandemic that he views our front-line care providers as expendable. The Premier has failed to provide adequate personal protective equipment, sick pay to those exposed to COVID-19, and has overridden their contracts to allow employers to redeploy them anywhere, anytime…all the while, making it very clear that he cares more about protecting for-profit long-term care owners from liability than he does about protecting front-line health-care workers."

The rally will be held on Zoom (link here:) and media are invited to attend (please register by emailing [email protected]). Speakers will include ONA leaders and front-line members, leaders from several other health-care unions, Canadian Federation of Nurses' Unions leader Linda Silas, NDP Leader Andrea Horwath, and others. Bill 124 targets public-sector union members who are predominantly female, while specifically exempting male-dominated professions, such as police and firefighters.

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

WHAT:	Rally to call for Bill 124 to be repealed
WHO:	Ontario Nurses' Association leaders and members, other health-care union leaders, political party leaders and others
WHEN:	Friday, May 28, 2021 from noon to 1:15 p.m.
WHERE:	Zoom (link here: https://ona.zoom.us/meeting/register/tJwkdOGrrzIpEtd3AkbLfFZ1zJOnyuBeOqPr)

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

SOURCE Ontario Nurses' Association

Sheree Bond, [email protected], [phone]; Katherine Russo, [email protected], [phone]

Related Links

www.ona.org