Middlesex-London Health Unit Reach Tentative Agreement: Public health nurses vote on new contract today

LONDON, ON, Nov. 13, 2014 /CNW/ - Middlesex-London Health Unit Public Health Nurses (PHNs) reached a tentative agreement with their employer during a mediation session yesterday.

The 158 PHNs – registered nurses and a nurse practitioner who are members of the Ontario Nurses' Association (ONA) – have been negotiating a new contract with their employer since May and have been working without a contract since March.

The ONA members will hold a ratification vote tonight; the employer is scheduled to hold its ratification vote on November 20. Details are confidential until ratified.

ONA President Linda Haslam-Stroud, RN, says that the PHNs were hoping to avoid a strike. "Our nurses are central to the Middlesex-London regions remaining healthy," she said. "The last thing any nurse would want to be forced to do is withdraw their services and the care that our communities rely on."

ONA is the union representing 60,000 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]