Ontario Nurses' Association

Ontario Nurses' Association
Name	Ontario Nurses' Association
Founded	1973
Headquarters	Toronto, Ontario
Members	60,000+ (approx.)
Key people	CEO/President
Affiliation	Canadian Federation of Nurses Unions, Canadian Labour Congress

Ontario Nurses' Association The Ontario Nurses' Association is a provincial trade union representing registered nurses, nurse practitioners, and allied nursing professionals in Ontario. Founded in the early 1970s, the association has engaged in collective bargaining, labour actions, professional advocacy, and policy work across health care sectors including hospitals, long-term care, and community health. It interacts with provincial institutions, regulatory bodies, and national organizations to influence workplace standards, patient care, and nursing practice.

History

The association emerged during a period of labour activism connected to organizations such as the Canadian Labour Congress, the Canadian Union of Public Employees, the New Democratic Party (Canada), and provincial unions in the 1970s. Early campaigns addressed issues similar to those raised by the Royal Commission on Health Services (Hall Commission), the Canada Health Act, and provincial health restructuring policies promoted by successive Cabinets such as the Mike Harris ministry and the Doug Ford ministry. The group's actions paralleled national movements involving the Canadian Nurses Association, the British Columbia Nurses' Union, and the Quebec Nurses' Association while responding to legal frameworks like decisions from the Ontario Labour Relations Board and rulings of the Supreme Court of Canada on labour rights. Over time the association engaged with public inquiries including those following events like the SARS outbreak and the Long-Term Care COVID-19 Commission, and coordinated with municipal and provincial officials from entities such as Toronto City Council and the Ontario Ministry of Health on workforce planning, amid debates similar to those seen around the Romanow Commission.

Organization and Governance

The association's governance model echoes structures used by national bodies such as Canadian Federation of Nurses Unions and provincial counterparts like the Alberta Union of Provincial Employees. Leadership is accountable to an elected board and to annual general meetings comparable to conventions held by the Canadian Labour Congress and the New Democratic Party (Canada). Its headquarters in Toronto, Ontario liaise with regulatory and credentialing institutions including the College of Nurses of Ontario and engage legal counsel on matters before tribunals such as the Ontario Labour Relations Board and courts including the Court of Appeal for Ontario. The association interacts with political actors from parties like the Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario, the Liberal Party of Ontario, and the Green Party of Ontario on policy files, while coordinating with national partners in organizations such as the Canadian Nurses Association and labour federations like the Ontario Federation of Labour.

Membership and Representation

Members include Registered Nurses, Registered Practical Nurses in some contexts, Nurse Practitioners, and allied health professionals working in institutions such as Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre, St. Michael's Hospital, Ottawa Hospital, and Hamilton Health Sciences. The association negotiates on behalf of members employed in settings like long-term care homes, community health centres, public health units such as Toronto Public Health, and specialized facilities including Cancer Care Ontario and Children's Hospital of Eastern Ontario. Membership services mirror offerings by organizations like the Canadian Nurses Association with professional development comparisons to institutions such as the University of Toronto Faculty of Nursing and regulatory interactions with the College of Nurses of Ontario.

Collective Bargaining and Labour Actions

Collective bargaining campaigns have involved sectors represented by unions such as the Canadian Union of Public Employees and the Service Employees International Union and have resulted in negotiations mediated by bodies like the Ontario Labour Relations Board or arbitrated similarly to disputes taken before the Labour Relations Board in other provinces. High-profile labour actions referenced situations comparable to those involving the Toronto Transit Commission strikes and public sector disputes within the Ontario Public Service Employees Union, often engaging provincial leaders including premiers from the Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario and the Liberal Party of Ontario. Bargains address staffing, workplace safety aligned with standards from the Workplace Safety and Insurance Board, and compensation debates influenced by fiscal policy from successive treasurers such as those in the offices of former finance ministers. During crises like the COVID-19 pandemic in Ontario the association mobilized members in coordination with hospital CEOs from institutions such as Mount Sinai Hospital (Toronto), provincial health officials, and public inquiries including the Long-Term Care COVID-19 Commission.

Professional Roles and Services

The association supports clinical roles including acute care nursing, critical care nursing, palliative care, gerontology, oncology nursing, and advanced practice roles like nurse practitioners. It facilitates continuing education comparable to programs at Ryerson University (now Toronto Metropolitan University), York University, and the McMaster University School of Nursing. The group advises on practice standards set by the College of Nurses of Ontario and collaborates with research bodies such as the Institute for Clinical Evaluative Sciences and the Canadian Institutes of Health Research. Service delivery contexts include academic health science centres like The Hospital for Sick Children and regional health networks such as Local Health Integration Networks (historically) and successor entities under the Ontario Health framework.

Advocacy and Policy Influence

The association engages in public policy and advocacy with provincial actors including the Ontario Ministry of Long-Term Care and the Ontario Ministry of Health, alongside federal partners like the Health Canada (Canada) apparatus and national groups such as the Canadian Federation of Nurses Unions. It has participated in campaigns addressing staffing ratios debated in legislative bodies like the Legislative Assembly of Ontario, public inquiries similar to the Commission on the Reform of Ontario's Public Services, and health workforce planning initiatives akin to those by the Canadian Institute for Health Information. The association has also liaised with stakeholders including hospital executives, municipal leaders from Toronto City Council and regional health authorities, and patient advocacy organizations similar to the Ontario Health Coalition to advance policies on patient safety, workplace standards, and funding for institutions such as long-term care homes and community health centres.

Category:Trade unions in OntarioCategory:Nursing organizations in Canada