This November, our Home and Community Care Support Services (HCCSS) bargaining team heads to conciliation, seeking fairness for 4,000 members working in the sector. They will aim to harmonize the existing collective agreements and bolster our job security, severance and merger language.
These ONA members are proud care coordinators, nurse practitioners, clinical care specialists, receptionists, mental health and addictions nurses, palliative nurses and so much more. They research, plan, assess and develop complex treatment and home care plans for patients, residents and clients. They work with many organizations to arrange safe quality care for those who need it and provide direct care and service in home and the community, all while dealing with large caseloads and healthcare system restructuring.
Our bargaining priorities:
- Safe Staffing
- Fair Wages
Phone Zap – Monday, November 13
Help support HCCSS members bargaining for a fair contract that gives them safe staffing and fair wages.
Join us for a Phone Zap on November 13 from 12-1 p.m. All you need is a phone and computer, and we’ll handle the rest.
Register here: Meeting Registration – Zoom
Get involved
HCCSS leaders and members are organizing province-wide collective actions to demand safe staffing and fair wages in this round of bargaining. Contract Action Teams (CAT) are being created in each bargaining unit, to organize their co-workers across the province to participate in actions and show employers and the government they are unified behind their bargaining team, demanding fairness.
They will also raise awareness among the public about how fair wages, safe and appropriate staffing and many other important issues are linked to them receiving high quality and timely care. To get involved in the CAT and collective actions to support bargaining contact your Bargaining Unit President.
Frequently Asked Questions
When is bargaining?
Ten ONA HCCSS branches head to conciliation on November 15 and 16. Conciliation will be held in Toronto, face-to-face between our HCCSS bargaining unit presidents and employer representatives.
What is conciliation?
Conciliation is a process where your union and employer representatives, with the assistance of a mediator specialist from the Ministry of Labour, try to resolve the issues and come to a negotiated tentative agreement.
Where can I view my current contract?
Visit our Find Your Contract page for all the current central and local collective agreements. If you have a question about your current contract, please contact your Bargaining Unit President.
Send a Message to the Ontario Government
Sign on to our email campaign and tell your Member of Provincial Parliament (MPP), Premier Doug Ford, and Minister of Health Sylvia Jones that you support a better deal for Ontario’s nurses.
Sticker Up on November 13!
On November 13, ONA HCCSS members across the province will wear stickers in their workplaces to show solidarity and support for our key bargaining priorities: Safe Staffing, Fair Wages and Better Care.
The aim of this Sticker Up is to show a unified front, start discussions and build momentum and support in our communities, as we escalate into bigger collective actions.
Template Letters
Let’s achieve our goals – you have a voice.
ONA is making it easy for you to speak up and strengthen our pursuit of better wages, better staffing and better care. Below you will find a template letter to the editor that you can use and send to your local newspaper. If you need help with sending the letter to your local paper, email us at onamail@ona.org. There is also a template letter to the hospital CEO calling for support for a better deal for nurses.
Please take a few moments to add any pertinent detail to the template letters and send them. We must remain united and speak with one strong voice.
Handheld Signs
Download an e-copy of our assorted handheld sign designs.
HCCSS members can also order printed signs using our online form. The deadline for ordering printed signs is November 17.
Speak out on social media!
Show your support for a better deal for Ontario nurses and better care for Ontarians. Select a shareable below to download.
Use the hashtag #SupportNurses and join the conversation online!
