Latest news with #ErinAriss
National Post
3 days ago
- Health
- National Post
OCEU/CUPE 1750 thanks Ontario Nurses' Association (ONA) for standing in solidarity
Article content TORONTO — The Ontario Compensation Employees Union (OCEU/CUPE 1750) is expressing gratitude to the Ontario Nurses' Association (ONA) for their strong public show of solidarity and support for more than 3,600 OCEU members currently on strike. Article content In a letter sent to WSIB President and CEO Jeffery Lang on June 23, ONA called on WSIB leadership to end the ongoing strike by negotiating a fair agreement that addresses workload, mental health, job security and wage improvements. Article content Article content 'We are incredibly grateful to the Ontario Nurses' Association and its president, Erin Ariss, for standing with us and recognizing the vital work our members do to support injured workers — including nurses,' said Harry Goslin, president of OCEU/CUPE 1750. 'This letter reflects the growing support from labour and frontline organizations who know that our fight is about fairness, respect and the future of Ontario's compensation system.' Article content ONA's letter highlights the impact of unsustainable workloads, the toll on mental health, and the lack of investment in staff — while noting that the employer has spent more than $14.5 million on external consultants rather than its own workforce. Article content 'Their words send a powerful message: frontline workers deserve better,' Goslin said. 'We are proud to have ONA by our side as we continue pushing for a fair deal that reflects the value and professionalism of OCEU members.' Article content Article content Article content Article content Article content Contacts Article content For more information, please contact: Article content Article content Bill Chalupiak Article content Article content Article content
Cision Canada
11-06-2025
- Health
- Cision Canada
Cutting more than 40 front-line registered nurses at University Health Network will harm patient care, say nurses
TORONTO, June 11, 2025 /CNW/ - The Ontario Nurses' Association (ONA) is sounding the alarm as the University Health Network (UHN) cuts more than 40 registered nurses (RN) from front-line patient care, amidst an ongoing severe nursing shortage. In what UHN calls "system efficiency," RN cuts are happening on several units across Toronto General Hospital and Toronto Western Hospital including its hemodialysis unit and coronary intensive care unit. UHN is rejigging its general internal medicine unit to make a 28-bed alternate level of care (ALC) unit, with only one RN onsite to support registered practical nurses and personal support workers. "These cuts will be catastrophic for patients. At a time when we desperately need more registered nurses, not fewer, UHN has made the decision to cut the expert care provided by front-line RNs," says Erin Ariss, RN, and ONA Provincial President. "While UHN claims this is to improve the model of care, I think we all know that this is really about dollars and cents. There is no scenario where fewer RNs means better or more timely care for patients." Ontario has the lowest number of RNs per capita in the country, requiring more than 25,000 RNs just to reach the national average. Adds Ariss: "We can expect more RNs to leave due to understaffing, impossible workloads and mental distress because they can't provide the care that they know patients need and deserve." "The Ford government must step up and fully fund our public health-care system so such foolish RN cuts can be avoided. Employers must stop trying to balance the books at the expense of the expert, front-line care Ontarians need." ONA is the union representing more than 68,000 registered nurses and health-care professionals, as well as 18,000 nursing student affiliates, providing care in hospitals, long-term care facilities, public health, the community, clinics and industry.
Yahoo
11-06-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Cutting more than 40 front-line registered nurses at University Health Network will harm patient care, say nurses
TORONTO, June 11, 2025 /CNW/ - The Ontario Nurses' Association (ONA) is sounding the alarm as the University Health Network (UHN) cuts more than 40 registered nurses (RN) from front-line patient care, amidst an ongoing severe nursing shortage. In what UHN calls "system efficiency," RN cuts are happening on several units across Toronto General Hospital and Toronto Western Hospital including its hemodialysis unit and coronary intensive care unit. UHN is rejigging its general internal medicine unit to make a 28-bed alternate level of care (ALC) unit, with only one RN onsite to support registered practical nurses and personal support workers. "These cuts will be catastrophic for patients. At a time when we desperately need more registered nurses, not fewer, UHN has made the decision to cut the expert care provided by front-line RNs," says Erin Ariss, RN, and ONA Provincial President. "While UHN claims this is to improve the model of care, I think we all know that this is really about dollars and cents. There is no scenario where fewer RNs means better or more timely care for patients." Ontario has the lowest number of RNs per capita in the country, requiring more than 25,000 RNs just to reach the national average. Adds Ariss: "We can expect more RNs to leave due to understaffing, impossible workloads and mental distress because they can't provide the care that they know patients need and deserve." "The Ford government must step up and fully fund our public health-care system so such foolish RN cuts can be avoided. Employers must stop trying to balance the books at the expense of the expert, front-line care Ontarians need." ONA is the union representing more than 68,000 registered nurses and health-care professionals, as well as 18,000 nursing student affiliates, providing care in hospitals, long-term care facilities, public health, the community, clinics and industry. SOURCE Ontario Nurses' Association View original content to download multimedia: Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
Yahoo
15-05-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Ford's Budget Fails Nurses, Public Health Care Again, Pushing Privatization as Ontarians Suffer
TORONTO, May 15, 2025 /CNW/ - The Ford government's 2025 budget is a complete flatline for nurses, health-care professionals and Ontario's public health-care system, says the Ontario Nurses' Association (ONA). Instead, the budget continues to cut revenue needed by the provincial coffers, funnel scant health-care dollars to private corporations and for-profit providers while starving the public system of much-needed funding and initiatives to solve the nursing shortage. "Premier Ford is trying bring in American-style health care by systematically increasing the role of private, for-profit corporations at the expense of our public system," says ONA Provincial President Erin Ariss, RN. "Again and again, we see our health-care dollars go to Ford's developer friends for health-care infrastructure projects and private interests while he starves our public health care of funding. "Bricks-and-mortar projects do not increase care, more public-sector nurses and health-care professionals do. And the $280 million promised in this budget to expand private clinics is a major red flag Ontarians should be very concerned about. We don't want our tax dollars being used to line the pockets of corporate interests." ONA's recommendations for this year's budget were clear, achievable and effective. Funding and legislating safe nurse-to-patient ratios across Ontario would solve staffing shortages and reduce or eliminate the outrageous bill taxpayers are footing for private, for-profit agencies. This year's budget promises to increase the number of nurses in the province by 2,000 – when at least 26,000 are needed to reach the national per-capita average. Ariss adds, "If we want accessible health care, we can't only focus on recruiting, we need to retain and bring back nurses who have left; mandating nursing ratios – as other provinces are doing – will do this." ONA says this government should protect quality care by ending the practice of replacing registered nurses, fully integrating nurse practitioners across the continuum of care, harmonizing nurse wages across all sectors, and increasing funding to public health in communities across the province. The budget does none of this. ONA is the union representing more than 68,000 registered nurses and health-care professionals, as well as 18,000 nursing student affiliates, providing care in hospitals, long-term care facilities, public health, the community, clinics and industry. SOURCE Ontario Nurses' Association View original content to download multimedia: Sign in to access your portfolio
Cision Canada
15-05-2025
- Health
- Cision Canada
Ford's Budget Fails Nurses, Public Health Care Again, Pushing Privatization as Ontarians Suffer
TORONTO, May 15, 2025 /CNW/ - The Ford government's 2025 budget is a complete flatline for nurses, health-care professionals and Ontario's public health-care system, says the Ontario Nurses' Association (ONA). Instead, the budget continues to cut revenue needed by the provincial coffers, funnel scant health-care dollars to private corporations and for-profit providers while starving the public system of much-needed funding and initiatives to solve the nursing shortage. "Premier Ford is trying bring in American-style health care by systematically increasing the role of private, for-profit corporations at the expense of our public system," says ONA Provincial President Erin Ariss, RN. "Again and again, we see our health-care dollars go to Ford's developer friends for health-care infrastructure projects and private interests while he starves our public health care of funding. "Bricks-and-mortar projects do not increase care, more public-sector nurses and health-care professionals do. And the $280 million promised in this budget to expand private clinics is a major red flag Ontarians should be very concerned about. We don't want our tax dollars being used to line the pockets of corporate interests." ONA's recommendations for this year's budget were clear, achievable and effective. Funding and legislating safe nurse-to-patient ratios across Ontario would solve staffing shortages and reduce or eliminate the outrageous bill taxpayers are footing for private, for-profit agencies. This year's budget promises to increase the number of nurses in the province by 2,000 – when at least 26,000 are needed to reach the national per-capita average. Ariss adds, "If we want accessible health care, we can't only focus on recruiting, we need to retain and bring back nurses who have left; mandating nursing ratios – as other provinces are doing – will do this." ONA says this government should protect quality care by ending the practice of replacing registered nurses, fully integrating nurse practitioners across the continuum of care, harmonizing nurse wages across all sectors, and increasing funding to public health in communities across the province. The budget does none of this. ONA is the union representing more than 68,000 registered nurses and health-care professionals, as well as 18,000 nursing student affiliates, providing care in hospitals, long-term care facilities, public health, the community, clinics and industry.
