Regions, Locals & Bargaining Units

We’re always close by. Our union is organized into five regions with more than 60 Locals and 500+ Bargaining Units across Ontario.

Members elect executives and representatives at every level. They help resolve issues with employers that affect your rights, entitlements, and ability to provide professional, high-quality care in a safe and equitable environment.

Together, we raise community awareness and support, and advocate for governments and administrators to safeguard the wellbeing of workers and our patients, residents and clients. This work is guided and overseen by our Board of Directors and supported by our staff.

We are a union built for health-care professionals, by health-care professionals. As an ONA member, you have a say in ONA’s agenda and selecting your representatives.

Regions

Regions are the first tier of ONA’s structure. Each Region has its own collection of districts, counties and municipalities. Members nominate and elect a Vice-President to represent their Region on our Board of Directors.

Region 1 — Districts of Kenora, Rainy River, Thunder Bay, Algoma, Temiskaming, Nipissing, Cochrane, Manitoulin, City of Greater Sudbury.

Region 2 — United Counties of Prescott and Russell, United Counties of Stormont, Dundas and Glengarry, Renfrew, Lanark, Leeds & Grenville, Frontenac, Hastings, Prince Edward County, County of Lennox & Addington, Haliburton, City of Kawartha Lakes, Peterborough, Northumberland, City of Ottawa.

Region 3 — Regional Municipality of Durham, York, Peel, City of Toronto.

Region 4 — Counties of Simcoe, Wellington, Dufferin, County of Brant, City of Brantford, Haldimand County, Norfolk County, City of Hamilton, Regional Municipalities of Waterloo, Niagara, Halton, District Municipality of Muskoka and District of Parry Sound.

Region 5 — Counties of Bruce, Grey, Huron, Perth, Oxford, Middlesex, Lambton, Elgin, Essex, Municipality of Chatham-Kent.

Our Board of Directors page includes a list of current Board members and highlights from recent meetings.

Locals

Each Region contains several Locals, totaling more than 60 across Ontario.

Locals are represented by a Local Coordinator and other executives, including Secretaries and Treasurers. These Local teams connect you with broader membership and the Board of Directors. They bring your concerns, questions and insights to regional and provincial meetings and to the Board, building a strong province-wide network of support.

Our directory of Locals provides links to Local websites where you can find information and updates relevant to you or to get in touch with your team.

Bargaining Units

Locals are made up of Bargaining Units. Bargaining Units are organized by employers and can vary greatly in size, from dozens of members at a long-term care home to hundreds or thousands of members at a hospital. Members of a Bargaining Unit may work in the same location or in multiple locations, such as different sites of the same hospital network or community health centre.

Your Bargaining Unit is led by your elected representatives, including your Bargaining Unit President, unit representatives and committee members. This team works closely with ONA staff to improve your working conditions, negotiate with your employer and maintain and enforce your rights under your collective agreement.

If you are unsure of who your Bargaining Unit President is or how to contact them, Access ONA provides an easy way to search for them by workplaces.