/R E P E A T -- Media Advisory - Chatham-Kent Public Health Nurses to Hold Information Picket/

CHATHAM, ON, Oct. 18, 2015 /CNW/ - The community is invited to join Chatham-Kent Public Health Unit's 42 public health nurses at an information picket at the Chatham-Kent Civic Centre on Monday, October 19. The information picket is being organized to educate the community on issues impacting their public health services.

The highly trained and skilled public health nurses and nurse practitioners -- members of the Ontario Nurses' Association (ONA) -- are trying to avoid being forced to strike as they try to negotiate a new contract with their employer.

The highly educated and skilled nurses work to keep their community safe by: monitoring for infectious diseases, promoting healthy living, and maintaining wellness of individuals, families and communities. They work in sexual health clinics and schools, providing immunizations and illness prevention programs, and in their patients' homes, providing follow-up and home visits for families with newborns.

These nurses -- who are among the lowest-paid public health nurses in all of Ontario -- have been working without a contract since December 31, 2013. Conciliation talks were held on September 15, 2015. The ONA members now have an email campaign up and running where residents of Chatham-Kent can show their support (http://www.ona.org/chathamkent).

ONA is the union representing 60,000 front-line registered nurses and allied health professionals as well as more than 14,000 nursing student affiliates providing care in Ontario hospitals, long-term care facilities, public health units, the community, industry and clinics.

WHAT:	Information Picket
WHO:	Chatham-Kent Public Health Nurses
WHEN:	Monday, October 19, 5:00 to 6:15 pm
WHERE:	Chatham-Kent Civic Centre, 315 King Street West, Chatham

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

SOURCE Ontario Nurses' Association

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