ONA Front Lines, October 2012

In ThIs Issue . . .E4From ONA President/Interim CEO

Linda Haslam-Stroud, RN

E5From ONA First Vice-President

Vicki McKenna, RN

OCTOBER 2012Vol. 12 • No. 5

continues on page 3

Attention Region 1 Members: Vote for Regional VP!

is fighting back against proposed legislation that attacks the democratic rights of public sector workers in Ontario, including our members, to collectively bargain –

and we desperately need your help to send a strong message to the government!The proposed bill, Protecting Public Services Act, 2012, announced by Finance Minister

Dwight Duncan on September 26, 2012, seeks to restrain compensation for public sector workers (ONA members) until the government has eliminated its deficit. It would give the government extraordinary powers to impose contracts; curtail funda-

The election for the position of Region 1 Vice-President on the ONA Board of Direc-tors takes place this fall, and we encourage you to take a few minutes and cast your vote using the televote system.

As regional Vice-Presidential candidates were acclaimed in four of the five ONA re-gions this year, only Region 1 members will be asked to vote (the President and First Vice-

FeATuResPatient Advocate Expelled ..................... 6Member’s Special Recognition............10ONA VP’s Study Tour ................................12

InDeXUp Front......................................................... 3Member News ............................................. 6ONA News ...................................................12Queen’s Park Update ...............................15OHC News ...................................................15Occupational Health and Safety .........16CFNU News .................................................17LEAP ..............................................................17Education ....................................................18Human Rights and Equity .....................19Student Affiliation ....................................20Awards and Decisions.............................22

The Members’ Publication of the Ontario Nurses’ Association

continues on page 3

ONA

Information on the Regional VP Candidates Inside!

Dual Dues Refund Information Included

Association

ONA President Linda Haslam-Stroud (holding sign) stands in solidarity with teachers and education workers, including Elementary Teachers’ Federation of Ontario First Vice-President Susan Swackhammer (second from right), at a mass rally at Queen’s Park in August to oppose government legislation that forces contracts on them. Now nurses and other public sectors workers face similar attacks.

ONA Fights Back Against Attack on Collective Bargaining!

President were elected to two-year terms last year, meaning their positions will not be up for election until 2013). Congratulations to Region 2 Vice-President Anne Clark, Region 3 Vice-President Andy Summers, Region 4 Vice-Pres-ident Dianne Leclair and Region 5 Vice-Presi-dent Karen Bertrand on their acclamations.

To vote, all you need is a touch tone tele-phone, your ONA ID

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7 8 5 4 7 - 1 _ o n a _ f r o n t l i n e s _ o c t 2 0 1 2 . p d f . 1

OCTOBER 20122


President/Interim CEO, VM #2254Communications & Government Relations / Student Liaison

Vicki McKenna, RN

First VP, VM #2314Political Action & Professional Issues

Diane Parker, RN

VP Region 1, VM #7710Occupational Health & Safety

Anne Clark, RN

VP Region 2, VM #7758Labour Relations

Andy Summers, RN

VP Region 3, VM #7754Human Rights & Equity

Dianne Leclair, RN

VP Region 4, VM #7752Local Finance

Karen Bertrand, RN

VP Region 5, VM #7702Education

How to contact your 2012 ONA Board of Directors

Call ONA toll-free at 1-800-387-5580 (press 0)

or (416) 964-8833 in Toronto and follow the

operator’s prompts to access board members’

voice-mail. Voice-mail numbers (VM) for Board

members in the Toronto office are listed below.

Tel: (416) 964-8833

Toll free: 1-800-387-5580

ONA Provincial Office

85 Grenville St., Ste. 400

Toronto ON M5S 3A2

ONA is the union representing 59,000 registered nurses and allied

health professionals and more than 13,000 nursing student affiliates

providing care in hospitals, long-term care facilities, public health, the

community, clinics and industry.

Fax: (416) 964-8864

E-mail: [email protected]

www.ona.org

Design: Artifact graphic design

Printed by union labour: Thistle Printing Limited

Copyright © 2012 Ontario Nurses’ Association

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced

or transmitted in any form or by any means, including electronic,

mechanical, photocopy, recording, or by any information storage or

retrieval system, without permission in writing from the publisher

(ONA members are excepted).

Editor: Ruth Featherstone

Features Editor: Melanie Levenson

Send submissions to:

Communications and Government Relations Intake at [email protected].

Contributors: Sheree Bond, Nancy Johnson, Colin Johnston, Katherine Russo,

Karen Sandercock, Lawrence Walter

EHamilton2 King St., W., 2nd Floor RearDundas, ON L9H 6Z1Tel: (905) 628-0850Fax: (905) 628-2557

EKingston4 Cataraqui St., Ste. 201Kingston ON K7K 1Z7Tel: (613) 545-1110Fax: (613) 531-9043

ELondon750 Baseline Rd. E. Ste. 204London ON N6C 2R5Tel: (519) 438-2153Fax: (519) 433-2050

EOrillia210 Memorial Ave., Unit 126AOrillia ON L3V 7V1Tel: (705) 327-0404Fax: (705) 327-0511

EOttawa1400 Clyde Ave., Ste. 211Nepean ON K2G 3J2Tel: (613) 226-3733Fax: (613) 723-0947

ESudbury764 Notre Dame Ave., Unit 3Sudbury ON P3A 2T4Tel: (705) 560-2610Fax: (705) 560-1411

EThunder Bay#300, Woodgate Centre, 1139 Alloy Dr. Thunder Bay ON P7B 6M8Tel: (807) 344-9115Fax: (807) 344-8850

ETimminsCanadian Mental Health Association Building330 Second Ave, Ste. 203Timmins ON P4N 8A4Tel: (705) 264-2294Fax: (705) 268-4355

EWindsor3155 Howard Ave., Ste. 220Windsor ON N8X 3Y9Tel: (519) 966-6350 Fax: (519) 972-0814

ONA Regional Offices

The Members’ Publication of the Ontario Nurses’ Association

OCTOBER 2012Vol. 12 • No. 5

ISSN: 0834-9088

www.Facebook.com/OntarioNurses • www.Twitter.com/OntarioNurses • www.youtube.com/OntarioNurses

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Up Front

OCTOBER 2012 3

SEPTEMBER BOARd HigHLigHTS

The following are key highlights from the most recent Board of

Directors meeting, held September 17-20, 2012 at the ONA provincial

office:

A A total of $100,000 ($50,000 in each 2012 and 2013) will be allo-

cated to Hamilton’s Workers Arts and Heritage Centre for a proj-

ect under the theme, Nurses: Unionization has improved the lives

of those caring professionals and their patients.

A North District Service Team Manager Leanne Cooke has been

appointed to the Alternate Trustee position of the Canadian

Blood Services’ Defined Benefit Pension Board.

The next Board meeting will be held at the ONA provincial office on

December 11-13, 2012 and highlights will appear in an upcoming is-

sue of Front Lines.

continues from cover


and personal identification number (PIN), found on the back page of the election booklet mailed to Region 1 members in September. You can vote at any time between now and 2400 hours on Novem-ber 1, 2012 by dialing 1-888-917-8683 to access the bilingual sys-tem and following a few easy-to-understand prompts. It only takes a few minutes to place your vote, but try to pick a time when you are least likely to be interrupted. Results will be posted on our web-site and published in the next issue of Front Lines.

If you have any questions or concerns about the televote, call the ONA provincial office at (416) 964-8833 or toll-free at 1-800-387-5580 (immediately hit “0” to be connected to the Toronto of-fice), followed by voicemail box 7748. An ONA staff member will return your call promptly. Specific information on the candidates in each region is included with this issue of Front Lines and posted on the ONA homepage at www.ona.org.

The Board of Directors makes important decisions on your be-half every day. We strongly encourage you to have your say in who forms this important group this fall.

mental civil liberties for health care workers whose rights are already restricted because their work is considered essential; and end access to the independent arbitration process, leav-ing workers who provide essential services with nothing as a fair trade off for removing their right to strike. This, despite the fact the Drummond report concluded Ontario’s arbitra-tion system is not broken.

“We have been very clear. ONA nurses have already done our part through negotiated collective agreements, which are re-spectful of the province’s economic situation,” said ONA Presi-dent Linda Haslam-Stroud. “It is our position that we have the legal and constitutional right to collectively negotiate our work-ing conditions with our employers, but this legislation rips up that democratic right, and we cannot let that happen.”

While at press time the proposed legislation had not been tabled in the legislature and both opposition parties indicat-ed they would not support it, we were quick to advise the gov-ernment that preserving front-line patient care will be put at risk if they proceed. When the collective bargaining system breaks down, our members’ quality of worklife deteriorates, which in turn negatively impacts patient health outcomes.

We urge you to help in our fight by logging onto our web-site at www.ona.org and sending a templated letter to your MPP, urging him or her to vote against this reckless legisla-tion, just as you did when we asked you to support our teach-er allies against Bill 115, Putting Students First Act, which passed in early September.

That Act forces contracts on teachers and education work-ers, represented by the Elementary Teachers’ Federation of On-tario, the Ontario Secondary School Teachers’ Federation, and the Canadian Union of Public Employees. It imposes a two-year wage freeze, scraps the current short-term disability plan/sick banks, and bans strikes and lockouts. The government said it had no choice to pass the bill because of the economic situation.

“The government has every right to balance their books, but they first need to identify where the true problem lies – and it’s certainly not with the nurses, teachers and other pub-lic sector workers of this province,” concluded Haslam-Stroud.

“We did not cause the deficit. The loss of public revenue is due to corporations and rich individuals not paying and evading taxes, which has caused the shortfall in provincial income. The government should be collaborating with front-line workers who deliver essential public services to Ontarians, not de-stroying collective bargaining and democratic rights.”


REgiON 1 MEMBERS: HOW TO TELEVOTECaLL 1-888-917-8683 to access the system.

ENtER your language choice (English or French),

ONA ID and PIN.

SELECt the candidate of your choice.

ONA Fights Back Against Attack on Collective Bargaining!


and personal identification number (PIN), found on the back page


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OCTOBER 20124

From ONA President/Interim CEO

Chronique de la présidente/directrice générale par intérim, AIIO


We will move into ONA’s next 40 years as a strong, united union.

We are a Vibrant Profession and a Powerful Union!

It’s a momentous time for the Ontario Nurses’ Association.In November, ONA’s 2012 Biennial Convention kicks off, as

does the launch of our 40th anniversary celebrations. Internally, ONA is in the midst of a revitalization plan, acknow-

ledging that many of our long-time staff members are approaching retirement – much like many of our province’s experienced and dedicated members.

Finally, on an interim basis, I have taken on the role of Chief Executive Officer while we search for a replacement. I want to assure each of you that my goal with the organization’s revitalization is to ensure that ONA remains a strong union representing our vibrant profession. We want to ensure that you have quality representation in your workplace with your employers and the government.

My goal is for ONA staff and our Bargaining Units to have solid partnerships to enable front-line members to be well-served and free to focus on delivering the safe, quality patient care Ontarians deserve.

These are challenging times for ONA, and challenging times for our members. We face mounting pressure from many corners.

Unions and our members are being singled out and attacked as somehow causing the current economic situation and needing to make sacrifices, despite the fact that you make sacrifices on the front lines every day. We are sending back the message loud and clear that we are not the ones to blame; it is the corporate sector, which continues to enjoy historically low tax rates.

Despite this, I am confident we will move into ONA’s next 40 years as a strong, united union, revitalized and more passionate, vi-brant and powerful than ever.

Biennial Convention promises to be a lively and informative event. I look forward to hearing from many of you as we strengthen relationships, become reinspired to fight on for quality patient care, support a healthy nursing workforce and worklife, and celebrate how far we’ve come since the early 1970s.

Nous sommes une profession dynamique et un syndicat puissant!

C’est une période riche en événements pour I’Association des infirmières et infirmiers de l’Ontario.

En novembre, l’AIIO lance son Congrès biennal 2012 de même que les célébrations de son 40e anniversaire.

Sur le plan interne, l’AIIO est au cœur d’un plan de revitalisation, sachant que nombre de membres de longue date de notre personnel approchent de la retraite – comme beaucoup de nos membres expérimentés et dévoués à l’échelle de la province.

Enfin, j’assume à titre provisoire le rôle de directrice générale pendant que nous cherchons une remplaçante. Je tiens à assurer chacune d’entre vous que mon objectif en ce qui a trait à la revitalisation de notre organisation consiste à faire en sorte que l’AIIO demeure un syndicat fort pour représenter une profession dynamique. Nous voulons que vous soyez bien représentées dans votre lieu de travail auprès de votre employeur et du gouvernement.

Mon objectif est de voir le personnel de l’AIIO et nos unités de négociation travailler dans le cadre de solides partenariats pour que nos membres en première ligne soient bien servis et puissent se consacrer à offrir de façon sécuritaire les soins de qualité auxquels les Ontariens ont droit.

L’AIIO traverse des moments difficiles, ses membres aussi. Nous sommes confrontées à des pressions croissantes d’origines diverses.

Les syndicats et nos membres sont pointés du doigt et accusés de contribuer d’une certaine manière à la situation économique actuelle, et on leur demande de faire des sacrifices alors qu’en première ligne, chaque jour, vous en faites déjà. À cela, nous répondons fermement et clairement que ce n’est pas nous qu’il faut blâmer, mais plutôt le secteur des entreprises qui bénéficie de taux d’imposition historiquement bas.

Malgré tout, je suis certaine que pour les 40 prochaines années, l’AIIO sera un syndicat revitalisé, solide et uni, plus passionné, dynamique et puissant qu’il ne l’a jamais été.

Le Congrès biennal promet d’être un évènement animé et intéressant. J’ai hâte d’avoir de vos nouvelles alors que nous nous employons à consolider nos relations, à retrouver le souffle nécessaire pour nous battre en faveur de la qualité des soins aux patients, d’un personnel infirmier en santé et d’un milieu de travail sain, et à célébrer tout le chemin parcouru depuis le début des années 1970.

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OCTOBER 2012 5

From ONA First Vice-President

Chronique de la première vice-présidente, AIIO

Vicki McKenna, RN

A Call to Action in Times of Cutbacks!

With the government imposing wage freezes on the public sector, unions facing increasing attacks, and significant cuts to hospitals and community care access centres start-

ing to roll out, never has there been a more important time for ONA members to come together with our allies to strategize about how to respond to government cutbacks.

And I can’t think of a better way to do this than by participat-ing in the Ontario Health Coalition’s (OHC) Health Action Assembly and Annual Conference on November 17-18, 2012 at the University of Toronto’s Hart House Music Room. The timing couldn’t be better, as it’s the weekend before our Biennial Convention when many of you will be Toronto.

ONA has been a proud member of the OHC, a network of more than 400 grassroots community organizations representing virtu-ally all areas of the province, for many years. Its fundamental goals of preserving our public health care system and protecting quality patient care mirror our own.

During the assembly, ONA members will help design an action plan, which is essentially a blueprint of the campaigns the OHC and its allies will embark on in the upcoming year. As OHC Director Nat-alie Mehra says, it is crucial that we mount a fight back sufficient to push back against government cuts and protect health care for all. We must insist that our politicians listen to the values and prior-ities of our community that place caring for each other before more tax cuts for corporations and the wealthy. We must show Ontarians that there are alternatives. And it is assemblies like this where that push back will begin.

The OHC’s accomplishments over the years are impressive, but they would not have been possible without the involvement of our members in helping to plan and take part in OHC campaigns to lob-by for change. I ask you to assist once again by attending the Health Action Assembly in November if you can; this just may be one of the most important meetings you attend this year!

For more information and to register, log onto www.ontariohealthcoalition.ca.

Un appel à passer à l’action en période de compressions!

Face aux gels de salaires imposés par le gouvernement dans le secteur public, aux attaques croissantes contre les syndicats, ainsi qu’aux importantes compressions qui commencent à s’étendre

dans les hôpitaux et les Centres d’accès aux soins communautaires, il n’y a jamais eu de moment plus important pour que les membres de l’AIIO s’unissent avec leurs alliés afin de définir une stratégie sur la manière de répondre aux réductions gouvernementales.

Et je ne peux imaginer une meilleure façon d’y arriver qu’en participant au Congrès annuel et à l’Assemblée pour une action en santé de l’Ontario Health Coalition’s (OHC) qui aura lieu les 17 et 18 novembre 2012 à la salle de musique Hart House de l’Université de Toronto. Le moment ne pouvait être mieux choisi puisque c’est la fin de semaine qui précède notre Congrès biennal et que beaucoup d’entre vous seront à Toronto.

L’AIIO est fière d’être membre de l’OHC, un réseau de plus de 400 organismes communautaires locaux représentant pratiquement toutes les régions de la province, depuis de nombreuses années. Ses objectifs fondamentaux consistant à préserver notre système de soins de santé et à protéger la qualité des soins prodigués aux patients sont conformes aux nôtres.

Pendant l’assemblée, les membres de l’AIIO contribueront à préparer un plan d’action, qui sera essentiellement un plan pour les campagnes que l’OHC et ses alliés lanceront au cours de la prochaine année. Selon la directrice de l’OHC, Natalie Mehra, il est crucial que nous organisions une lutte assez forte pour repousser le plan d’austérité du gouvernement et assurer la protection des soins de santé pour tous. Nous devons insister pour que nos politiciens tiennent compte des valeurs et des priorités de notre communauté, à savoir que les soins à la population passent avant de nouvelles réductions d’impôts au profit des sociétés et des nantis. Nous devons montrer aux Ontariens qu’il existe d’autres solutions. C’est dans des assemblées comme celle-ci que ce mouvement de refus commencera.

Les réalisations à mettre au compte de l’OHC au fil des années sont impressionnantes, mais elles n’auraient pas été possibles sans la participation de nos membres qui ont contribué à planifier les campagnes de pression de l’OHC pour obtenir des changements et qui y ont participé. Je vous demande d’y participer cette fois encore en assistant si vous le pouvez à l’Assemblée pour une action en santé en novembre; c’est peut-être l’une des réunions les plus importantes auxquelles vous assisterez cette année!

Pour en savoir plus et pour vous inscrire, consultez le site www.ontariohealthcoalition.ca.

Never has there been a more important time for ONA members to come together with our allies.

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ONA Members Across Ontario

OCTOBER 20126

ONa Has Your Back!Local Leader Removed from Hospital by Security for Advocating for Patients and Members

tient care concerns to the manager. It was at

this point, Howell said the manager returned

with security and he was abruptly removed

from the unit in front of staff and patients.

“As I left, I identified myself to the pa-

tients and members watching,” he said. “I

wanted them to know that as the Bargaining

Unit President, I was ensuring they have safe,

quality care from our dedicated members in

the Emergency department, who were also

horrified by what was happening.”

“I find it hard to believe that it is ac-

ceptable to have our union representative

removed by security because there was a

concern of patient safety raised in the de-

partment,” said one member. “I thought that

as patient advocates, health care providers

respected the basic patient rights of dignity,

confidentiality, and most importantly safety.

Where do we go from here? Who, if not the

union and its members, will oversee and pro-

tect the patients and their health care provid-

ers? I am appalled!”

Howell immediately contacted ONA Pres-

ident Linda Haslam-Stroud to discuss next

steps. ONA is treating this situation serious-

ly; the union wants members to know this

thankfully happens very infrequently.

“We are dealing with this unfortunate

situation through the collective agreement,”

said Howell. “We have been working very

hard to build and maintain a respectful and

collaborative relationship with the employer,

and have been able to successfully address

and resolve many of our members’ issues by

working in a respectful manner. This is not

a reflection of the hard work we‘ve done so

far, and we’re not letting it affect our relation-

ship. I remain a proud Humber nurse.”

At the same time, Howell said he wants

his members to know the union is here for

them and won’t back down.

ONA is taking action after Local 68 Coordina-

tor Micheal Howell was removed from the

hospital where he works for doing some-

thing most would consider to be heroic: ad-

vocating for our members and their ability to

provide quality care to their patients.

On September 11, 2012, Howell, who

works at Humber River Regional Hospital in

Toronto, was asked by our members to ur-

gently assist with a matter that arose at the

Church site. Upon attending the unit, mem-

bers told him that a change in practice to

the emergency department, which they only

found out about when they came to work for

that shift, meant they were unable to safely

monitor their patients and safely control the

flow of additional patients into emergency.

They were simply overwhelmed, and it quick-

ly became chaotic in the ER, which already

has a number of professional responsibility

complaints and is heading for an Indepen-

dent Assessment Committee hearing, Howell

said.

“I called the manager to ask her to come

into the Emergency department and assess

the unit, and I explained that members are

very concerned about patient safety and

care, not to mention their own safety, as they

could be in violation of their standards of

practice,” he said.

The response was not quite what Howell

was expecting. After the manager came to

the unit and Howell told her he was investi-

gating the issue raised by members, wanted

to work with management on a resolution

and would wait while she investigated the

unit, the situation quickly escalated.

Howell, who had been waiting at the

front desk, was advised the manager had left

the unit. After hearing this, he attended the

“ozone” area of the Emergency department

to ensure members had expressed their pa-

“We’re here to help members and work

with the employer and ensure our members

and their patients are safe,” he said. “We aren’t

going anywhere. I knew how to handle this

situation thanks to my experience as a union

leader. I learned with ONA that you always

take the high road, and that’s why we achieve

so much.”

Added Haslam-Stroud, “This is proof that

ONA will not accept this kind of treatment

of our Bargaining Unit leaders and front-line

members when they are simply doing their

job and advocating for safe, patient care. I

hope the one message that resonates loud

and clear from this unfortunate situation is

that ONA has your back!”

Great news! Just as Front Lines went to

press, the employer acknowledged its mis-

step on this issue during a meeting with ONA.

in this grainy photo taken with a cell

phone, Local 68 Coordinator Micheal

Howell, right, is shown being escorted

out of Humber River Regional Hospital

by a security guard.

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OCTOBER 2012 7

ONA members across Ontario took the op-

portunity of Labour Day on September 3,

2012 to show solidarity against government

cutbacks.

ONA members, including Region 3 Vice-

President Andy Summers, were among the

thousands of participants who marched

and danced along the four-kilometre parade

route in Toronto, waving ONA flags and pen-

nants (left photo). Under the theme, United

Against Austerity, participants, including fire-

fighters, paramedics, teachers and emergen-

cy workers, spoke out against politicians giv-

ing billions in tax cuts to corporations while

asking ordinary working Ontarians to tighten

their belts.

Donning t-shirts reading, “Some Cuts Don’t

Heal,” Local 8 members spread the message

that nurses are the backbone of our health

care system and must be treated as such dur-

ing the Windsor Labour Day parade (right pho-

to). This was the best attended parade by ONA

members, with more than 20 on hand!

Several kilometres north, ONA Local 134

took part in Barrie’s third annual Labour Day

picnic at Sunnidale Park, which included a barbecue co-sponsored by ONA, live band and

children’s amusement activities. Local 134 Coordinator Kimberley Sweeney reports there were

a variety of other unions and organizations participating, making it the busiest Labour Day

event they have had so far. Members in Port Elgin, part of Local 4, also walked the length of

their parade to demonstrate the continuing importance of unions.

“Labour Day and its messages of solidarity have never been more relevant, as organized

labour faces increased attacks,” said ONA President Linda Haslam-Stroud. “We urge all Ontar-

ians to appreciate the work of not just our union, but of all unions, which are responsible for

the significant gains to workers’ lives and society over all.”

Celebrating Diversity!Members of Local 100, including Univer-

sity Hospital Local Vice-President Ron

Bouwman (pictured), came out in full

force to show their support for the Lesbi-

an, Gay, Bisexual and Transgendered

community during the London Pride Pa-

rade on July 29, 2012. The Local decorated

a float and then marched along the city’s

Dundas Street with the message of “cele-

brating the diversity of our members and

the community we serve as nurses.”

Go After Corporations, Not Workers, Labour Day Marchers Say

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OCTOBER 20128

Health Unit’s Project Educates Others on PHN RoleMembers at Perth District Health Unit have

found an innovative way to help their col-

leagues and the public understand and ap-

preciate the valuable work of public health

nurses.

One of the responsibilities of the health

unit’s Professional Practice Committee is to

recognize and celebrate the unique skills

of public health staff. To do so, the commit-

tee gave each profession/discipline the task

of creating a PowerPoint presentation that

would be sent to all staff via e-mail, posted on

the internet and the health unit’s intranet, and

placed on TVs in the reception of each of their

offices. One presentation per month has been

featured throughout 2012.

“These presentations were to highlight

the skills needed for the role, the training

each underwent, if they were regulated by a

professional body and why someone should

consider a career in that profession,” said

Professional Practice Committee and ONA

member Jill Sloan, who is the health unit’s

Reproductive Health Lead. “This activity was

meant for each team of professionals to not

only celebrate who they are and what they

do, but also to enlighten their coworkers in

the other disciplines.”

The Committee quickly learned that it

truly takes a diverse team of professionals,

non-professionals and volunteers to accom-

plish the work of public health, said Sloan,

adding that they also “work in partnership

with our community to foster conditions in

which people can be healthy.”

The health unit also hoped to educate the

public on the role of public health – not only

those who use their services, but the next

generation who may not know what public

health is all about and has to offer to them

as a career – and why we love it, Sloan said.

“There have been many times over the

years when I have introduced myself as a

nurse and the first question I get is ‘What part

Visiting our infertility NursesLocal 2 Vice-President Anne Clark (front row, left) and Local 83 Coordi-

nator Frances Smith (back row, second from left) attend the Bargain-

ing Unit meeting of the Ottawa Fertility Clinic this past June to learn

firsthand about our members’ experiences and concerns in this field.

infertility nurses work diligently to help execute treatment plans and

play an important role in supporting patients through the complex

journey of infertility — from infertility diagnosis to fertility treatment

to pregnancy. “These nurses have extensive nursing backgrounds,

both within women’s health and in addition to it,” said Clark. “Their

compassion and commitment to providing personalized care of the

highest quality to their patients is obvious and inspiring, and it was an

honour to speak with them during this visit.”

of the hospital do you work in?’ Or, if I intro-

duce myself as a public health nurse, they ask

‘what’s that?’ or ‘are you a real nurse?’” added

Sloan, who graduated from the University of

Western Ontario in 2000 with a BScN and has

worked exclusively in public health ever since.

The general response about the project

has been very positive, said Sloan, who also

used the project for the fourth-year nursing

student that she was preceptoring as a way

to introduce her to public health nursing.

“The result of this project has been a

greater understanding of the diverse roles

and skills of all the staff in the health unit and

an increased appreciation for the unique con-

tribution that each of our coworkers brings,”

she said. “I would definitely recommend that

other ONA members consider doing similar

projects in their work units.”

Perth District Health Unit public health

nurse Jill Sloan demostrates child car

seat safety during a prenatal class.

( O c t o b e r 1 1 , 2 0 1 2 / 1 2 : 0 6 : 1 3 )


Look for the ticket of nominations posted in your workplace. It is a list of the names of your colleagues who have been nominated to run—the people who will be on the ballot, seeking your vote to be your ONA Local and Bargaining Unit representatives.

Watch for more information about election dates and times to be posted in your workplace soon.

Have questions? Ask your Bargaining Unit President www.ona.org/bup

*Bargaining Unit and Local elections will be taking place for the majority of ONA members this fall. A few locals have already conducted their elections this year, others may hold elections for some or all of their positions next year.

Learn who’s running and vote.

Who speaksfor you?Elections for your ONA Bargaining Unit & Local Union representatives are happening this fall.*

OCTOBER 2012 9

Region 3 Vice-President Andy Sum-

mers and Local 6 Coordinator Caro-

lyn Edgar (second from left) are

joined by Pat Kearn from the Centre

for Addiction and Mental Health

(left) and Candice Owley, President

of the Wisconsin Federation of Nurs-

es, following a special labour screen-

ing of the film, “We are Wisconsin” at

the Toronto HotDocs Festival on May

2, 2012. The evening also featured a

panel discussion with the filmmaker

and some key people in the film. “We

are Wisconsin” follows the day-to-

day unfolding of the public outcry

against Wisconsin Governor Scott

Walker’s controversial budget-repair

bill, which would eliminate collec-

tive bargaining rights for many State

workers, answering the question,

“Why should we care about what’s

going on in Wisconsin?” Just as Front

Lines went to press, a Wisconsin

State judge ruled unconstitutional

and invalid many key provisions of

the Bill.

Are We the Next Wisconsin?

( O c t o b e r 1 2 , 2 0 1 2 / 0 8 : 4 9 : 1 6 )



OCTOBER 201210

A retiring ONA leader who has been

acknowledged for her years of ser-

vice to the nursing profession and our

union says she is the one who should

be grateful.

Local 2 Coordinator Bernadette De-

nis, a public health nurse who has been

active with ONA for the past 18 years,

received the Special Contribution to

the Nursing Profession Award from

the Registered Nurses’ Association of

Ontario’s (RNAO) Sudbury and District

Chapter at a special Nursing Week cel-

ebration attended by approximately

100 members from ONA and RNAO on

May 7, 2012.

Denis, who has worked at the Sud-

bury and District Public Health Unit

for 31 years, was nominated by Local

2 Treasurer Suzele Jambakhsh for her

commitment to her clients, her col-

leagues, her union and her community.

Jambakhsh’s glowing nomination let-

ter was read during the celebration.

“I’ve never been a fan of awards

because everyone works so hard, but

I was so happy to win this one,” said

Denis, who received the only standing

ovation of the night. “It surprised me,

but what is so special is that it comes

from people I know. I was truly over-

whelmed. This is a lovely way to end

my career.”

That career started 47 years ago,

when a teenaged Denis began work-

ing in the emergency and operating

room at Sudbury Memorial Hospital as

what was then called a registered nurs-

ing assistant. After obtaining her RN

diploma and then degree, with a stint

in the intensive care unit in between, Denis moved onto the Sudbury

and District Health Unit. She has never looked back, working first as a

generalist nurse before shifting to the Sexual Health Program for 18

Special Recognition “Lovely Way to End Career,” Leader Says

years and, finally, the Control of Infec-

tious Diseases Program. Denis’ greatest

accomplishment is the development of

a 200-page Sexual Health binder, which

was distributed free to all secondary

schools in her area and later sold pro-

vincially to other health units.

Denis was also given an award,

nominated by her entire executive, for

her outstanding commitment to ONA

over the years.

“They felt I had made a difference

to my union,” she said. “I have tried very

hard to do that. I’m available at all times

for my members and do whatever I can

for them.”

Despite the accolades that have

come her way, a very humble Denis be-

lieves that she is the one who should

be doing the thanking.

“This is more about gratitude from

me than gratitude for what I’ve done,”

she said. “I have gotten so much from

working as an RN and have received so

much from ONA: a sense of leadership,

pride, humanity and solidarity. I am

thankful for all the opportunities I have

had. I love what I do and I do what I love.

“I consider myself a woman of ser-

vice, not offering a service,” she added.

“You offer a service when someone de-

mands something. But with me, I’m on

the job whenever I’m needed because

I’m of service. It’s a different situation

when you live life like this.”

And with retirement looming on

December 31, 2012, what’s next for this

long-time politically active ONA leader?

“It’s time to move on, but I’m not

stopping,” Denis said, noting that she is

leaving her Local in good hands. “I have certainly enjoyed them, but

my life won’t die without nursing and ONA. I will be happy, have fun

and see how it goes.”

After receiving the RNAO’s Special Contribution

to the Nursing Profession Award at a Nursing

Week celebration, Local 2 Coordinator Berna-

dette Denis (left) is joined by Sudbury Mayor

Marianne Matichuk (seated), RNAO Region 11

representative Paul-Andre gauthier, who pre-

sented the award, and Dr. Deborah Bakker, a

professor from Laurentian University, who is na-

tionally known for her nursing research and was

the evening’s guest speaker. “The mayor

thanked and congratulated me for the award

and said she was very impressed by my accom-

plishments,” beamed Denis. “She said she want-

ed to be in a picture with me!”

( O c t o b e r 1 1 , 2 0 1 2 / 1 2 : 0 6 : 1 3 )

7 8 5 4 7 - 1 _ o n a _ f r o n t l i n e s _ o c t 2 0 1 2 . p d f . 1 0

OCTOBER 2012 11

The ONA website contains important information and valu-

able tools to keep you up-to-date on issues that can help you

in your workplace. Here is just a sampling of some of the help-

ful documents found on www.ona.org:

• Your Local collective agreement. The website houses

more than 350 Local agreements that you can access.

Simply visit your sector-specific section (the magenta

boxonthehomepage)andclickonthe“collectiveagree-

ments” linkontheright-handside.Theagreementscan

be sortedoneof twoways: alphabetically or by expiry

date.

• TheONA Constitution. Have you everwonderedwhat

theONAConstitutionsaysaboutCharteredLocalAssoci-

ationsorthecompositionoftheBoardofDirectors?The

ONAConstitution provides this information. Under the

“PublicationsandForms”tab,clickonthe“Constitution,

GuidesandBooklets”link.

• ONA produces submissions to the government each

year.ThesubmissionsoutlineONA’spositiononcertain

governmentBillsandArticles.Recently,ONAsubmitted

apaper in response to themodernizationof theWork-

placeSafetyandInsuranceBoard’sAppealsProgram.To

findONA’s submissions, go to the“Political Action” tab

andclickon“SubmissionstoGovernment.”

• What is the Legal Expense Assistance Plan (LEAP) and

howdomembersaccessit?LEAPwasestablishedin1980

to assist ONA members with legal or regulatory body

problems relating to their work, including those arising

from the province’s Regulated Health Professions Act. To

findoutmoreaboutthisplan,visitthe“MemberServices”

tabandclickon“LegalExpenseAssistancePlan.”

Asalways,wewanttohearyourideasonhowwecanim-

provethisimportantonlineresource.ContactCommunica-

tions Officer Katherine Russo at [email protected] with

yoursuggestionsandareasforimprovement.

What’s on the ONA Web: Did You Know?What’s on the ONA Web:

RNs on “Cloud Number Nine” After Recognition from Canadian Icon!Nurses from Timmins and District Hospital are feeling the love from one

ofCanada’smostcherishedmusicians.

Joan Ludwig, the hospital’s Chief Nursing Officer, met one of her

idols,singer/songwriter/photographerBryanAdamspriortohisOttawa

concertthispastMayaftershepurchasedtheVIPMeetandGreetpack-

age.AsNursingWeekwassoonapproaching,Ludwigseizedtheoppor-

tunitytoaskifhewouldmindsigningsomethingforthenurses.

“Hewasverypersonable,genuinelycaringandinterestedinhearing

allaboutTimmins,”Ludwigsaid,addingsheisalong-timesupporterof

theBryanAdamsFoundation,setupafterthetsunamistrucksouthern

Asia in2005 to improve thequalityofpeople’s livesaround theworld

throughfinancialhelpandsupport.“Hesaidhewouldbeveryhappyto

writeapersonalmessagetothenursestoacknowledgethemandwish

themwell.”

Thatmessage,writtenonthebackofaconcertprogram,read“Happy

NursingWeekTimmins2012,”completewithahappyface!Itwascircu-

latedtoallhospitalnursesduringNursingWeek,alongwithaphotoof

Adams(pictured).

“StaffwereverysurprisedandamazedtoseeamessagefromBryan

Adamsjustforthem,”saidLudwig.“Itprovidedaspecialaddedtouchto

acknowledgetheoutstandingworkandtirelessdedicationofthenurses

atTimminsandDistrictHospital.”

“We greatly appreciate the accolades and praise from a Canadian

musicicon,whotookthetimetorecognizeusandwishusaHappyNurs-

ingWeek‘StraightfromtheHeart,’”addedLocal10BargainingUnitPresi-

dentMarcieLawlor-Paquette,referencingoneofAdams’hitsongs.“On

behalfofallthenurses,thankyou,BryanAdams!”

( O c t o b e r 1 1 , 2 0 1 2 / 1 3 : 1 7 : 1 6 )


ONA News

OCTOBER 201212

ONA VP Learns Valuable Lessons During governor general ConferenceONA Region 4 Vice-President Dianne Leclair

has not only learned some valuable leader-

ship skills as a participant in the recent Gov-

ernor General’s Canadian Leadership Confer-

ence, she is hopeful that the important work

of her study group is making a real difference.

Leclair was one of only 231 participants

chosen from a cross-section of managers,

entrepreneurs and leaders from non-profit

organizations/unions throughout Canada to

participate in the 16-day Governor General’s

conference this past June, under the theme

“Leadership and Sustainable Communities.”

“The point of the conference is for lead-

ers from these vastly different backgrounds

to come together, work together and learn

to listen to each other,” said Leclair. “It was an

honour to be chosen to participate.”

After an opening plenary in Halifax, featuring eight guest speak-

ers, participants broke into 15-member groups and went on separate

study tours across the country. Leclair’s group, Quebec Deux (pictured,

top), toured several organizations and areas in that province to deter-

mine if they were sustainable. Included in her stops were the Cirque de

Soleil training camp, Leclerc Cookies, Wendake First Nations reserve, a

Rio Tinto aluminum smelter, which was in the midst of a lockout of its

employees at the time, a daycare agency, a hospital research facility,

and a meeting with then Quebec Prime Minister Jean Charest. They

also had the opportunity to speak to Quebec student protestors, and

learned the dispute was not just about tuition fee hikes, as largely por-

trayed in the media, but about cuts to social programs.

“Rio Tinto was an interesting community story,” said Leclair. “The

community was backing the locked out workers; they were receiving

groceries on tab, and banks were lowering their mortgages. However,

the company had been sold to an Australian-British corporation, and

we saw a real problem here because an overseas company has no ties

to the community.”

On the other hand, Cirque de Soleil, with its own housing, busi-

nesses and training programs for retired performers, was seen by the

group as an excellent example of a sustainable community, as was the

Wendake First Nations reserve, which is very proactive in the field of

economic development, assisting and hous-

ing approximately 120 businesses operating

in a range of sectors, including manufactur-

ing, services and tourism.

After just one day to prepare, all study

groups reconvened in Ottawa to give 15-min-

ute presentations on their key observations

to all participants and Governor General

David Johnston. There was one stipulation,

however. The groups could not speak about

anything that every member of their group

didn’t agree on.

“We were lucky because our group

worked really well together,” said Leclair.

“By day 13, I actually had forgotten who in

my group was in management and who was

from a union.”

She also learned many lessons along the

way, including “how well-respected nurses are no matter where you

go,” and the importance of having an open mind when listening to the

stories and opinions of others.

“People tell stories for a reason,” she said. “We learned not to have

preconceived notions before we went in and that whether we agreed

on everything they said, we needed to hear their opinions so we un-

derstood where they were coming from.”

Leclair said the hope from all members of the study group is that

their work has made a difference.

“We hope that our study group had an influence on the settling

of the Rio Tinto lockout, for example, and that the Governor General

will see that Wendake is as an excellent model for other reserves in

the country.”

Leclair, who has already been asked if she can help with the plan-

ning for a study group in her region for the next conference in four

years, said an unexpected bonus to her experience was the ability

to change some participants’ negative pre-conceived notions about

unions.

“If you can remove the stereotypes, you start to see people in

another light,” she said. “This was an exciting learning opportunity

that I will never have again. Plus, I came away with 14 wonderful new

friends!”

( O c t o b e r 1 1 , 2 0 1 2 / 1 2 : 0 6 : 1 3 )


OCTOBER 2012 13

After 20 years as ONA Chief Executive Officer, Lesley

Bell has left our organization to assume an interna-

tional position.

Bell, who also served as ONA President in 1990,

departed ONA last month to prepare for her new

position as the Nursing Policy Consultant, Socio-Eco-

nomic Welfare for the International Council of Nurses

(ICN) in Geneva, Switzerland. She will be attending

conferences for the council throughout the fall.

“As much as I look forward to my new position, it

will be difficult to leave ONA and the extraordinary

members and staff who take on each challenge as it comes,” Bell said.

“Whether it’s SARS, pay equity, health care restructuring or whatever

arises, ONA goes that extra mile.”

During her time at ONA, Bell, who served as a staff nurse at Ottawa’s

Salvation Army Grace General Hospital from 1977-1989, said the one

thing that has kept her personally committed and passionate is the re-

spect she has for registered nurses and allied health professionals.

“It has always inspired me to be a more vocal ad-

vocate for nursing,” she said, noting there “wouldn’t

be health care services in Ontario without our

members.”

While Bell has seen some low points over the

years, such as the way the government handled

the SARS crisis, and there are definitely challenges

ahead, she is very hopeful for the future, thanks to

ONA’s persistence, apparent in our unofficial motto

of “never, never, never give up.”

“Despite the decline in union membership in

Canada, nurses are still approaching ONA, and this union continues

to grow,” she said. “I will miss ONA, but I look forward to the new chal-

lenges I have ahead as I take my experiences here in Ontario and use

them on a more global scale at the ICN.”

ONA President Linda Haslam-Stroud has been appointed by

the Board of Directors as interim CEO until a replacement for Bell

is hired.

CEO Bids Farewell to ONA

Celebrating Those Who Service You!At a special celebration on September 19, 2012, ONA President Linda Haslam-Stroud and other members of the Board of

Directors recognized and acknowledged long-service and retiring staff for 2012, who serve our members diligently and

have contributed so much to making our union strong, efficient and effective. Pictured are (back row, left to right): Sue

McCulloch, Andre Proulx, Laurence Chen, Kapil Uppal, Haslam-Stroud, Chris Cuttress, Lawrence Walter, Vicki White, Katie

Hucker. Front row (left to right): Sharon Gall, Linda Read, Carolyn Prepp, Mary Jane Ellison, Angela Reeves, Colleen Ionson,

Jaclyn Hayes. Not pictured: Meg Aumand, Claude Boissonnault, Marg Ducie, Stephen Flaherty, Anna Gagliano, Pat Gibson,

Ralph Mills, Glen Oram, Jim Pauhl, Tina Shogren, Elizabeth Wall. Congratulations – and thank you – to all!

( O c t o b e r 1 1 , 2 0 1 2 / 1 3 : 1 8 : 4 1 )


ONA News

OCTOBER 201214

News iN BriefE The federal government has agreed to pay a group of nurses more than $150 million in a pay

equity settlement that dates back to 1978, putting an end to eight years of legal wran-

gling before the Canadian Human Rights Tribunal. A discrimination complaint was filed

in 2004 with the Canadian Human Rights Commission, stating the mainly female adjudi-

cators at the Canada Pension Plan’s disability program were performing the same job as

the mainly male medical advisers, but were paid far less. The settlement affects up to

1,000 current and former nurses, with some longtime employees set to receive up to

$250,000, plus interest, compensation for pain and suffering and extra pension.

E ONA has sent a letter of congratulations to the United Steelworkers (USW) Local 9490 on the

end of Rio Tinto’s six-month lockout of aluminum smelter workers in Alma, Quebec. USW

considers the ratification of a collective agreement that will run to the end of 2015 a

great victory for the workers and their supporters, stating a contributing factor was the

enormous solidarity shown by trade unions globally. Rio Tinto is the third-largest mining

company in the world (see pg. 12).

E Ontario is the first major jurisdiction in North America to provide human rights protections

to transgendered people after members of all three parties voted to amend the Ontario

Human Rights Code to add the terms “gender identity” and “gender expression.” New

Democrat Cheri DiNovo said the change will prevent discrimination when transgen-

dered people look for a job or a place to live, and expects other provinces and American

states to soon follow suit.

E Labour activists are calling the $200,000 fine of an Ontario construction company for the

deaths of four workers in a scaffolding accident three years ago a slap on the wrist. The

conviction for criminal negligence causing death against Metron Construction was the

first of its kind in Ontario under the Criminal Code. The incident occurred on Christmas

Eve 2009, when high-rise scaffolding snapped from a building in Toronto, sending four

workers plunging 13 floors to their deaths. One worker survived. Metron, which faced a

fine of up to $1-million, pleaded guilty and criminal charges against its owner, Joel

Swartz, were dropped. Following the incident, it was discovered that safety measures,

such as a fall protection system, were not in place, and the company also admitted to not

keeping proper training records or ensuring that the scaffold was properly maintained.

NAmesE Rhonda Seidman-Carlson, Chief Nursing Officer of The Scarborough Hospital (TSH), has

been named President of the Registered Nurses’ Association of Ontario. Seidman-Carl-

son, a member of the RNAO Board since 2006, is also Vice-President of Interprofessional

Practice at TSH.

E The Ontario Hospital Association has welcomed its new President and CEO Pat Campbell. Campbell, who has an undergraduate degree in nursing from the University of Western

Ontario and an MBA from York University, has served as CEO of Echo: Improving Wom-

en’s Health in Ontario and as President and CEO of both Grey Bruce Health Services and

Women’s College Hospital in Toronto.

SG_JI_ONA_2.6x10.25_Nov11_FINAL_NEW.ai 1 04/11/

( O c t o b e r 1 2 , 2 0 1 2 / 0 8 : 4 9 : 2 0 )


QUeeN’s pARk Update

OCTOBER 2012 15

We Got it Covered!

OHC News

There may have been no signs of rain in the forecast, but that didn’t stop ONA

members from joining the Ontario Health Coalition and other supporters at River-

dale Park in Toronto on July 18, 2012 to form two giant human sculptures in the

form of an umbrella, reading “Medicare – We’re Covered” and a question mark

with the words, “Harper – Care” underneath. The sculptures, formed one week be-

fore the premiers of every province and territory met to discuss what their next

steps would be for the 2014 Health Accord, symbolized public medicare and the

threats faced by it. The group is demanding that Prime Minister Stephen Harper

return to the negotiating table with the premiers to dialogue about the future of

health care, and ensure that funding beyond 2014 will adequately address the

health care needs of all Canadians equally.

E On July 13, 2012, Ontario appointed Brenda Flaherty as supervisor for the Waterloo Wellington

Community Care Access Centre (CCAC) to

address leadership, governance and operational

issues. The appointment comes in response to a

recommendation by the Waterloo Wellington Local

Health Integration Network (LHIN) Board, based

on the findings of a recent organizational review

and report. Flaherty, who is currently Executive

Vice-President at Hamilton Health Sciences, will

work to implement the report’s recommendations

and will ensure that CCAC clients in the region

receive quality care, better access and value for

their health care dollars. As supervisor, Flaherty will

report directly to the Minister of Health and Long-

Term Care and be responsible for:

I Implementing the recommendations contained

in the organizational review report.

I Addressing governance and leadership issues,

and taking actions that are appropriate and

necessary for the proper functioning of the

Waterloo Wellington CCAC.

I Working in cooperation with the Board of the

Waterloo Wellington CCAC to provide direction

to the senior management team, as appropriate.

I Providing regular updates to the Ministry and

Waterloo Wellington LHIN, as appropriate.

I Providing a written report to the Minister of

Health and Long-Term Care upon completion of

her duties.

E Local Health Integration Networks announced

in August a total of $16-million in funding for

ambulance offload nursing in hospital emergencies

for 18 municipalities for 2012-13.

E Also in August, Local Health Integration Networks announced level-of-care fund

per diems for long-term care homes. Effective April 1, 2012, 1 per cent increases are

provided for resident care to the nursing and personal care (.86 cents) and program

and support services (.08 cents) envelopes. Effective July 1, 2012, the raw food (.22

cents) and accommodation envelopes ($1.09) also received increases. The total

funding for per diem envelopes for long-term care homes rises from $152.94 to

$155.19, which also includes funding for raw food and accommodation to cover

inflationary cost increases. While any increase is welcome, ONA is concerned the

one per cent may not be sufficient to maintain current nursing and personal care.

We will be monitoring the impact of this funding.

( O c t o b e r 1 1 , 2 0 1 2 / 1 2 : 0 6 : 1 3 )


OCCUpAtiONAl Health & safety

OCTOBER 201216

The work of ONA member Elizabeth Hart in

bringing isolation gowns to her hospital is

having a ripple effect in the province.

Elizabeth Hart, who works at Bluewater

Health in Sarnia and is ONA’s occupational

health and safety representative, researched

and tirelessly lobbied her hospital for new

Association of Advancement of Medical

Instrumentation-approved gowns, which,

thanks to her persistence, are now in use

hospital-wide.

Having read Hart’s story in the February

2012 issue of Front Lines (pg. 16), Clarice Watt,

a Critical Care Educator at Timmins and Dis-

trict Hospital and Local 10 representative on

the Region 1 Occupational Health and Safety

group, decided to do some lobbying herself.

“I read Elizabeth’s story and knew imme-

diately that fluid resistant gowns were need-

ed by the front-line staff at my hospital,” she

said. “Just the month before, our Critical Care

Unit had an MRSA-positive patient with a

large wound that needed to be irrigated and

redressed. The yellow gowns we were wear-

ing would not have protected our workers.

“On top of that, there is a risk of spread-

ing the infection to other patients. I realized

the emergency staff never know what bodily

fluids they might come in contact with when

a patient arrives, vital signs absent.”

Watt, who sits on her hospital’s Joint

Health and Safety Committee, began by

copying the Front Lines article about Hart,

forwarding it to her fellow JHSC members

and asking to have it added to a meeting

agenda. In turn, the JHSC recommended the

issue be addressed by the hospital’s Infection

Control Committee, which agreed it was an

area that had been overlooked.

“Our infection Control Lead asked for cost-

ing from purchasing,” said Watt, who holds a

Canadian Nurses Association certification in

Critical Care Nursing. “A gown was decided

on and in the interim, a gown already used

in pharmacy has been made available for ER

and Critical Care. The better quality gown will

soon be available after the current stock of

pharmacy gowns is depleted.

“It took four months to get through the

committees, get costing and samples, but we

will now have proper protection for staff.”

Watt is now forwarding information

about the gowns to other sites in Local 10,

which reaches as far north as the James Bay

coast. Few of the other sites already have flu-

id resistant gowns in place and Watt is con-

fident they will benefit tremendously from

Hart’s hard work.

“I owe Elizabeth a big thank you for bring-

ing this issue forward and having it published

in Front Lines,” concluded Watt. “Her hard

work on the issue of fluid resistant isolation

gowns has been inspiring to us all.”

Hart said it is an “amazing feeling” know-

ing that all her hard work paid off, not only

for members at her hospital, but for those at

other facilities as well.

“I cannot be more pleased that others

have been inspired and change is happening

for other members throughout the province,”

she said. “I am overjoyed with the interest

and multiple e-mails I have received request-

ing further information so others can get the

proper isolation gowns implemented in their

facilities. I hope that they keep coming! As al-

ways, if anyone is interested in further infor-

mation, I have the references and would be

more than happy to share them.”

Hart can be reached at [email protected].

I read Elizabeth’s story in Front Lines and knew immediately that fluid resistant gowns were needed by the front-line staff at my hospital —Clarice Watt, a Critical Care Educator at Timmins and district Hospital

Member’s Fight for isolation gowns inspires Others

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OCTOBER 2012 17

CFNU News

Canadian Federation of Nurses Unions (CFNU) union

leaders from across the country, including ONA Presi-

dent Linda Haslam-Stroud and First Vice-President

Vicki McKenna, gathered in Halifax this past July to

magnify a message to the Council of Canadians that

governments must pull together for public health

care and bring the federal government back to the

table to improve health care for all Canadians.

To assist in delivering the message, the CFNU

dropped a large banner on the historic Morris Tea

building (top photo), a high profile, well-travelled

area facing the hotel where the premiers were meet-

ing to discuss, among other issues, the renewal of the

Health Accord, which expires in 2014. Other ads were

placed on the Haligonia harbor cruise ship and in the

ferry terminal.

Haslam-Stroud and McKenna also helped staff a

table (bottom photo) to answer questions and ask the

public to sign postcards urging governments to “pull

together for public health care.”

A decade after the national Health Accord brought

hope for a national home care plan and drug strategy,

we’re still waiting for action, the CFNU said, adding

that Canadians expect premiers and the federal gov-

ernment to sit down together and agree to a vision

and plan of action to go forward with medicare.

LEAP

Complete Your Annual CNO Membership Renewal on Time!

Picture This, Premiers!

ONA reminds you of the importance of completing your Annual

Membership Renewal Process with the College of Nurses of Ontario

(CNO) on time.

If you don’t, you could find yourself suspended for not paying your

annual fee, meaning you will be unable to work as a nurse. Worse,

you will not be permitted to reinstate your registration if there is an

outstanding complaint or report at the CNO regarding your practice,

regardless of the merit. Even if you have not yet been informed of

this complaint or report, you will not be permitted to reinstate your

registration and work as a nurse until it is resolved, which could take

two years or longer.

Nurses who are the subject of an ongoing investigation or pro-

ceeding are permitted to renew their registration, provided they do

so within the time limits set by the CNO. It is extremely important that

all nurses, and especially nurses who know that they are involved in a

College process, renew their registrations on time.

Remember while ONA’s Legal Expense Assistance Plan (LEAP)

does not cover general matters and concerns related to registration,

it does assist members with complaints and reports at their regula-

tory college.

For more information about LEAP, visit www.ona.org. Click on the

“Member Services” tab, then “LEAP.”

( O c t o b e r 1 1 , 2 0 1 2 / 1 3 : 1 8 : 4 2 )


OCTOBER 201218

ONA’s third annual Leadership Conference was not only

a wonderful opportunity for new ONA leaders to come

together and learn and share information about ONA

and beyond, it provided us with an important glimpse

into why they wanted to become active in the first place.

Twenty-seven Bargaining Unit Presidents and ONA

representatives from all re-

gions of the province gath-

ered at the Humber Institute

of Technology and Advanced

Learning in Toronto from June

11-15, 2012 to learn the ins and

outs of their challenging role

to better represent their mem-

bers.

The FormatThrough a series of lectures,

panel presentations, meetings with members of the

ONA Board of Directors and small group work, the par-

ticipants discussed the workings of ONA, negotiations

and grievances, the history of nursing unions and the

broader labour movement, membership services, lead-

ership styles, mentoring and effective communication –

to name a few. The leaders, who come from a variety of

sectors throughout the province, were also required to

develop an action plan for the next 12 months.

Why Become Active?Perhaps the most interesting dialogue of the week for

ONA centred around the question, “What motivated you to be in-

volved in nursing unionism?”

While the answers were as varied as the individuals in the room

itself, several themes emerged, from a strong family history of union-

ism to a desire to improve the working lives of their members.

“I wanted a say in my working conditions and to gain respect from

the employer for the nurses in my facility,” said Local 238 Bargaining

Unit President Kerry Bell, who was instrumental in ONA’s success-

ful organizing drive of Halton Healthcare Services earlier this year. “I

wanted the support, guidance and solidarity of nurses from across

the province.”

“I wanted to see change and be an advocate

for other nurses and their rights,” echoed Local

25 Bargaining Unit President Tammy Lowe from

Guelph General Hospital, while Local 1 Coordi-

nator Jody Brown from Brant Centre added that

“it was a realization that, as a union, we could

ensure that RNs received the

respect they deserved from

employers.”

For others, ensuring a

safe working environment for

their members was the num-

ber one motivating factor.

“I am an advocate for

healthy work environments,”

stated Local 75 Vice-President

Angela Spiler from St. Jo-

seph’s Healthcare, while Local

74 Bargaining Unit President

Yue Lucy Zhao from Extendi-

care New Orchard Lodge not-

ed that she wanted “to learn

how to protect our nurses

and promote a healthy and

fair workplace.”

In light of the current

economic climate and def-

icit-reduction measures in-

stigated by the government,

Local 115’s Benjamin Ramirez

Jimenez from Baycrest Centre for Geriatric Care said a key reason for

becoming active is because of the “the dangerous attacks unionism is

going through nowadays.”

Local 105 Bargaining Unit President Cindy Sandercock from Nor-

thumberland Hills Hospital, summed it up well when she said, “I real-

ized that if I was going to be able to effect change, I had to be involved

in my union” – a sentiment repeated by Local 124’s Sylvia Treble from

Headwaters Healthcare in Orangeville, who said, “I thought I might be

able to make a difference by stepping up to the plate.”

Judging by this impressive group of new leaders, we have no

doubt they will make a difference!

ONA’s Third Annual Leadership Conference

edUCAtiON

New Leaders Share What Motivated Them to Become Active

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OCTOBER 2012 19

Human RigHts and Equity

As an inclusive organization, ONA works tire-

lessly to acknowledge and support the diver-

sity of our membership and promote equity

in the workplace. And one of the key ways we

do so is by holding a Human Rights and Eq-

uity Caucus each year, which all members are

invited to attend.

The Caucus allows ONA members to dis-

cuss issues relating to discrimination and

workplace harassment, identify practical so-

lutions, and receive education to broaden

their knowledge and understanding of key

human rights issues.

Information gleaned from the Caucus is

invaluable to ONA, as it helps us understand

the issues that our members are facing on

the front lines and determine our human

rights and equity priorities for the upcoming

year.

Save the Date!Under the theme, Confronting Workplace

Conflict: Empowering Members to Engage in

Difficult Conversations, the Human Rights and

Equity Caucus will kick off the ONA Biennial

Convention on Monday, November 19, 2012,

at the Fairmont Royal York Hotel in down-

town Toronto. Check the ONA website at

www.ona.org to learn more about and/or to

register for the Caucus, along with the Bien-

nial Convention and/or the ONA education

session on Friday, November 23, 2012.

Breakout SessionsAn important and well-received component

of the Caucus are the breakout sessions,

which are held for the five designated equity

groups – Members of Aboriginal Descent,

Members with Disabilities, Francophone

Members, Gay/Lesbian/Bisexual/Transgen-

dered Members and Racialized Members –

and the Friends and Allies group, with sepa-

rate meeting rooms provided for each.

Only members who are part of a partic-

ular equity group may attend that group’s

breakout session. We feel this fosters a safe

environment where members feel accepted

and understood, while providing an oppor-

tunity for them to start an open discussion

about their experiences and focus on their

issues.

The goal of the breakout sessions is for

each group to develop their own strategies

for addressing workplace issues. ONA mem-

bers who have an interest in human rights

and equity and who do not belong to a

designated group are invited to attend the

Friends and Allies breakout session.

Education Session Education is provided to Caucus members

each year to help them better understand

and cope with emerging issues and themes

of the day. Participants learn invaluable in-

sights into the importance of self-empow-

erment and working together towards com-

mon goals.

This year, we are very excited that Kath-

leen Bartholomew, a registered nurse, au-

thor, educator and dynamic presenter, will be

speaking on the topic of her breakthrough

professional book, Ending Nurse-to-Nurse

Hostility Through Powerful Conversations.

As the manager of a 57-bed surgical unit

in Seattle, Washington, Bartholomew trans-

formed a culture of horizontal violence into

one where staff felt a sense of belonging

and professional fulfillment. Through per-

sonal narratives, combined with recent sta-

tistics, Bartholomew will demonstrate how

participants can move away from destruc-

tive modes of communication and embrace

healthy conversation skills.

Networking Event for RepsFollowing the Caucus meeting, the Provin-

cial Human Rights and Equity Team will host

a networking event for Bargaining Unit Hu-

man Rights and Equity Representatives. This

is an informal gathering where ONA repre-

sentatives have an opportunity to meet and

network with each other, members of the

team, staff facilitators, and ONA’s Board of Di-

rectors. Members share their insights, experi-

ences and strategies for handling a variety of

workplace issues. This is a great opportunity

to build solidarity, capacity and enthusiasm

amongst ONA’s human rights and equity rep-

resentatives.

ONA’s Human Rights and Equity Caucus is

just another example of how ONA is achiev-

ing our steadfast commitment to diversity

and equity issues. We encourage you to get

involved in this important event.

Biennial Caucus Breakdown!Ending Nurse-to-Nurse Hostility Through Powerful Conversations

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OCTOBER 201220

stUdeNt Affiliation

“What can ONA members learn from students? A lot if you ask us, and even more if you include us.”

In April 2012, Carly Whitmore, a third-year nursing student at Trent University, became the Ontario

Regional Director of the Canadian Nursing Students’ Association (CNSA). Front Lines wanted to

know what ONA’s student affiliation means to her, what it’s like to be a young nursing student in

today’s health care environment and what ONA members and students can learn from each other.

A Chat with Carly Whitmore, CNSA Ontario Regional Director

Front Lines: Why do you want to become

a nurse?

Carly Whitmore: For me, this is an answer

that changes day-to-day. Some days when I

am extremely motivated, I will say that I want

to become a nurse because I want to change

the world. I want to research and improve

practice. On other days – usually after a partic-

ularly hard exam or a long day at clinical – I will

justify my career choice with the knowledge

that I will have a good paying and secure job

for the future. However, the one constant that

I have always maintained is the notion that I

want to make a difference. In my mind, I can

be the passionate, driven, strong and intelli-

gent person that I want to be – and get paid

to do so – as a nurse. Nursing is a lifestyle that

I adopted the moment I entered the program

and it is one that keeps me motivated to finish.

I look forward to becoming a nurse in the fu-

ture and doing all that I can to be a great one.

FL: Studying to be a nurse must keep

you extremely busy. Why did you want to

become active in CNSa on top of that?

CW: My journey with the CNSA started

when I first went to the national conference

in Hamilton two years ago. I remember sit-

ting in during Jean Watson’s keynote address

and being amazed at the incredible energy

that was in the room. I was surrounded by

nursing students from all walks of life and we

all had a common goal. It was incredibly ex-

citing and I knew I wanted to become a part

of that energy. The CNSA is the voice of nurs-

ing students across Canada and we are proud

FL: How important is it to you to be a

student affiliate member of ONa?

CW: Being a student affiliate member of

ONA is very important to me. My father has

been a union member for 35 years, and I have

been a union member at my part-time job for

seven years. Unions provide the support and

backing required to really move mountains.

Having ONA as a support for the CNSA is incred-

ible for not only providing great networking

and professional development opportunities,

but also for the respect that is granted for being

a part of such an organization. We as Canadians

are very lucky to have the working conditions

that we have been granted and it is due, in part,

to the hard work of unions like ONA.

FL: Do you have any thoughts on

how ONa can raise our profile to student

nurses, so they know who we are before

looking for that first job?

CW: That is a great question. I think that

when most new graduates are looking for

their first job, they are looking for security and

options to further education. By this I mean

that new graduates desire a job that will pro-

vide them with competitive pay, the options

to advance to full-time status and allow them

to continue their education in ways that ex-

cite them personally. These are all items that

unionized institutions can provide for employ-

ees. I believe that the best way to raise ONA’s

profile is to ensure that the educational piece

is present during our undergraduate educa-

tion. Having Local representatives discuss ONA

and the benefits of a union with the students

early on allows for that dialogue to open up

and for learning to occur.

of the fact that we are a group that is operat-

ed by nursing students who want to improve

nursing and the nursing student experience.

In doing so, we advocate for health, for vul-

nerable populations, and for any issue that

will affect Canadians now and in the future.

FL: How do you balance the two?

CW: Being completely honest, I know that I

am going to be a busy student this year. There

are many goals and objectives that we as a

Board have laid out and I am also in my third

year of the program. I do not have a set plan as

to how I will balance the two major commit-

ments; I instead have faith that I will be able

to pull it all together. As I said, the CNSA and

my education complement each other and I

believe that I will be able to draw parallels and

thus make the most of my time.

FL: What are your goals as Ontario

Regional Director (ORD)?

CW: I believe that my biggest goal for my

term is to not only be a great representative

for nursing students across Ontario, but to also

provide development opportunities for stu-

dents. I want to encourage nursing students

to get involved in their regions and to use their

voices to strengthen our province and country.

It is not enough to just receive your education;

there are many chances to really make a differ-

ence. The promotion of events, dissemination

of information and encouragement of dialogue

around key issues is very important to me and I

hope that I can bring this to nursing students at

a level that we are able to act upon.

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OCTOBER 2012 21

ONA Names Student Scholarship Winner

ONA: Beyond Just Collective Bargaining“The labour movement was the principal force that transformed misery and

despair into hope and progress.”

— Martin Luther King Jr.

Long before deciding to enter the nursing profession, I would often find myself

reading my mom’s copy of Front Lines, the Ontario Nurses’ Association’s (ONA)

magazine. This acted as an introduction to the work that ONA does on behalf of

nurses in collective bargaining with employers to determine issues such as wages,

the conditions of work, as well as worker security, and its engagement in political

activities to increase awareness about issues related to nurses and patient care.

The formation of ONA on October 13, 1973 acted as an economic and social

reform for nurses that gave rise to unemployment insurance, pensions, and new

wage levels. Before the formation of ONA, the workload of nurses was not regu-

lated, but as the nursing profession slowly became a unionized job, employees

started to work under conditions negotiated through the process of collective

bargaining.

By allowing its members to voice any issues or concerns that they might face

in their workplace, ONA fights for improving workplace safety through legisla-

tion. For example, after ONA’s rigorous public campaign bringing to light the

safety issues around accidental injuries from unsafe needles, the government has

implemented that syringes with engineered safety devices be used.

Most importantly, ONA ensures that hospitals do not balance their budgets by

eliminating nursing positions and the hours of patient care that they deliver, by

voicing the implications of cuts in public service to the government and by raising

public awareness through campaigns. ONA is a union formed by nurses that con-

tinues to fight for the rights of nurses in the workplace and patient care beyond

just collective bargaining with an employer.

ONA has named the Ontario recipient of the 2012 Canadian Federation of Nurses

Unions (CFNU) Scholarship.

The lucky recipient is Ioana Gheorghiu, a first-year nursing student in York

University’s BScN program, who is the daughter of ONA member Carmen

Gheorghiu. The scholarship is intended to assist students in accredited nurs-

ing education programs throughout Canada. As a member of the CFNU, ONA

is entitled to one of the 10, $1,000 student scholarships awarded each year.

Applicants must be an immediate family member of an ONA member and

must submit an essay of 300 words or less on the topic, “The Importance of

the Ontario Nurses’ Association for Nurses” along with their application. Ioa-

na’s entire essay is printed below.

Congratulations, Ioana, and good luck with your studies!

FL: What issues do student nurses currently face?

CW: There are many issues that are coming to the front

lines in regard to nursing students. High tuition costs, in-

tense class schedules that do not allow for part-time jobs,

institutions that make it difficult for students to participate

in professional development, and the various political is-

sues and initiatives that are driving media discussions on a

daily basis are all forefront in our minds. However, of great

importance right now is the issue of the loss of the Cana-

dian Registered Nurse Examination [to an American exam].

Students across the country are saddened by this decision

and worried about the future of nursing in Canada.

FL: What can ONa members do to help you with these

issues?

CW: Continue to support us! Read our position state-

ments, advocate for us and listen to our voices. We are

working hard to become involved in decisions that con-

cern us and appreciate information that allows us to stay

current. All too often do we feel left out and disregarded

when key decisions are being made. By inviting students

out to local and provincial events, we are able to par-

ticipate and develop. Students want to be engaged and

many times are just waiting for the opportunity.

FL: What can ONa members learn from students?

CW: As a nursing student, I ask a lot of questions.

These questions are sometimes technical in nature, such

as confirming that I am completing a skill correctly, and

sometimes I just need reassurance. However, I find that

the best teachers or instructors are the ones that ask us,

as students, questions. I believe that ONA members could

learn a lot from us as students if they just asked what it

is that they wanted to know. For example, I have already

provided my ideas on how ONA could raise their profile

to students but I am just one student with one opinion.

I am sure if you asked other students you would receive

some great ideas. There can be a power divide between

students and RNs and it is unfortunate because a lot of

sharing and collaborating can be done between these

two groups. I do not believe that nurses “eat their young,”

but I do feel that sometimes nurses do not take the time

to understand our context as students. We are nervous,

and to be honest, sometimes terrified that we might mess

something up, but we also are educated with best prac-

tice. We are up-to-date on our research, can utilize the

newest technology and are very enthusiastic to be learn-

ing. What can ONA members learn from students? A lot if

you ask us, and even more if you include us.

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OCTOBER 201222

The following is a sampling of recent key awards and/or decisions in one or more of the following areas: rights arbitration, interest arbitration, Workplace Safety and Insurance Board (WSIB), Long-Term Disability (LTD) and Ontario Labour Relations Board.

AwARds ANd deCisiONs: the work of our Union!

The following is a sampling of recent key awards and/or decisions in one or more of the following areas: rights arbitration, interest arbitration, Workplace Safety and Insurance Board (WSIB), Long-Term Disability

RightsEmployer cannot discipline griever second time for same allegationsONA and Thunder Bay Regional Health Sciences Centre

(Arbitrator Mary Ellen Cummings, August

13, 2012)

The grievor received a 10-day suspension for

alleged patient abuse; another nurse who

was present during the alleged incident was

ultimately terminated.

The grievor testified at the hearing for the

terminated nurse. After testifying, the hospi-

tal terminated her employment, alleging that

new facts came to light showing that she was

not truthful during the investigation and

that her involvement in the alleged abuse

was greater than the hospital had previously

known.

ONA filed a grievance challenging the

termination, and immediately referred the

grievance to arbitration. We argued at the

outset of that hearing that the grievor was

subjected to “double jeopardy” in that the

hospital could not terminate her for the same

allegations for which she had previously re-

ceived a 10-day suspension.

ONA challenged the hospital’s position

that it became aware of new facts when the

grievor testified in the other hearing. On that

point, ONA argued that the hospital did a

full investigation of the matter and was well

aware of the grievor’s involvement in the in-

cident. Moreover, if the hospital felt she was

untruthful, they should have made that as-

sessment at the time she was suspended.

The arbitrator ruled that all of the infor-

mation the hospital was relying on to termi-

nate the grievor was available to them during

their investigation. This included information

as to whether the grievor was being honest

during the investigation process. The arbi-

trator agreed with ONA that the grievor was

placed in “double jeopardy” and the hospital

could not discipline her a second time for the

same set of allegations.

The arbitrator ordered that the grievor be

reinstated immediately and compensated for

lost wages and benefits. ONA is in the process

of bringing an application before the court to

enforce the arbitration award, as the hospital

has yet to reinstate the member. The hospital

claims that it will be judicially reviewing the

award.

wsiBONA’s work results in $1.2-million settlement for member!East Hospital

(July 20, 2012)

ONA has received an important win at the

Workplace Safety and Insurance Appeals

Tribunal (WSIA), the highest level of appeal

of Workplace Safety and Insurance Board

(WSIB) decisions.

In 2004, a 20-year nurse suffered a low

back disc herniation while working for an

employer with whom she had been em-

ployed less than a year. Her WSIB claim was

allowed and she received full loss of earn-

ings (LOE) benefits for a year. WSIB then ter-

minated her benefits after deciding she was

partially disabled – she received a 16 per cent

permanent impairment award – but that her

continued inability to work was due to a pre-

existing condition, not the work injury.

After several return to work mediation

meetings, the employer asserted they could

accommodate the worker for her back injury

(the compensable injury), but not the pre-ex-

isting condition and, in particular, the narcot-

ics she had to take for that condition.

The worker had cooperated with the re-

turn to work process, but admitted to the

WSIB in early 2005 that she did not believe

she could return to any work. By that point

she was confined to a wheelchair because of

her back pain. She was granted Healthcare

of Ontario Pension Plan (HOOPP) disability

benefits.

This nurse had had two radical mastec-

tomy surgeries in the 1990s, followed by re-

constructive surgery, which left her with a

particular chronic pain syndrome for which

the only treatment available was pain medi-

cation. Her condition caused periods of lost

time of up to two weeks at a time.

At the time of the work accident, she

was being stabilized on a narcotic medica-

tions regimen that allowed her to continue

to work. She was filling a temporary full-time

position at the time of the accident and had

applied and been accepted for another full-

time position. She found she could manage

her pain and the effects of the medication

(Oxycontin long release) by not taking it on

her work days. Within five weeks of the work

accident, her Oxycontin dosage was qua-

drupled and she had to start taking the short

acting Oxycontin for breakthrough pain as

well as significant doses of another pain

medication.

After a final return to work mediation

with WSIB in 2005, the WSIB terminated her

benefits. They continued to pay for her nar-

cotics medication, however, as well as other

medications she had been prescribed since

the accident (anti-depressants) with the ex-

ception of the Oxycontin long release be-

cause she had been on that medication prior

to the accident.

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OCTOBER 2012 23

An Appeals hearing was held in 2008.

ONA had obtained additional medical infor-

mation to show that the work-related back

injury was the cause of the worker’s ongo-

ing total disability; that the back injury more

likely than not aggravated the pre-existing

pain condition as well as causing an addi-

tional chronic pain condition. The Appeals

Resolution Officer denied the appeal on the

grounds that she believed the worker simply

chose a “sedentary lifestyle.”

ONA appealed to the WSIAT, and at the

hearing presented on several issues, includ-

ing Chronic Pain Disability and Psychotrau-

matic Disability due to the injury. Our pri-

mary claim was for the worker to be granted

full LOE benefits from 2005 to the age of 65,

a period of approximately 25 years; alterna-

tively, if WSIAT were to find that the worker

was entitled to benefits, but not full benefits

due to the severity of the pre-existing condi-

tion, ONA argued that WSIAT should award

partial benefits to the age of 65.

The WSIAT agreed with our position that

the worker would not have suffered LOE were

it not for the work-related injury; that prior

to the accident she had been able to sustain

full-time employment and no LOE; and that

the increase in medication alone (of which

the WSIB continued to pay 97 per cent) sub-

stantiated that the work-related injury was

and continues to be a significant contribut-

ing factor to the worker’s inability to perform

any work. They allowed full LOE benefits

from 2005 to the age of 65, approximately 25

years, totaling close to $1.2-million.

Importance to ONA: This win under-

scores the complexity of issues that our in-

jured members can face, and the value of

having high caliber representation from

ONA’s WSIB Team.

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ONTARiO NURSES’ ASSOCiATiON

85 Grenville St., Ste. 400

Toronto ON M5S 3A2

November 19-23, 2012Human Rights and Equity Caucus

“Confronting Workplace Conflict: Empowering Members to Engage in Difficult Conversations”

November 19, 2012

Gala Dinner – Celebrate ONA’s 40 Years!November 21, 2012

Education SessionVital Signs of Labour Law

November 23, 2012

ONA’s 40th Anniversary Biennial Convention

FAIRMONT ROYAL YORK HOTEL TORONTO

For more information and to register, log onto the ONA website homepage at www.ona.org.

( O c t o b e r 1 1 , 2 0 1 2 / 1 2 : 0 6 : 1 4 )


ONA Front Lines, October 2012

Documents

Transcript of ONA Front Lines, October 2012