Our Human Rights & Equity team works to enhance and promote the equal treatment of workers and freedom from discrimination and harassment in the workplace.
Our five equity groups – comprises dedicated members and ONA staff – include members of Indigenous descent, members with disabilities, Francophone members, LGBTQI2S members, and racialized members. The groups recognize and support members who may experience discrimination and marginalization in their workplace. They are determined advocates who believe that workplace inequity can be solved through building relationships and spearheading action. We are stronger, together.
ONA supports members in a variety of ways including:
- Developing guides and resources for members, including our Human Rights and Equity Guide.
- Hosting webinars and teleconnects that provide a safe venue to discuss current issues or topics.
- Providing tailored workshops on a variety of HRE topics, including bullying, workplace violence prevention, and much more.
- Promoting special events and observances that underscore and promote equity issues.
As an ONA member, your collective agreement protects and gives you the right to equal treatment and freedom from discrimination and harassment because of personal characteristics including race, ancestry, citizenship, creed, sex, sexual orientation, age or disability.
ONA has won many fights in protecting the rights of your collective agreement to achieve pay equity, maternity and parental leave for adoptive parents, and new legislation on workplace violence and harassment. We took on these legal challenge not just for our members, but for all workers in Ontario.
We invite you to contact us to become involved in the work of our Union.
If you have a human rights-related question related to your employer, please contact your Bargaining Unit Human Rights and Equity Representative or your Bargaining Unit President for further advice and support.
Contact Us
Your Human Rights and Equity Team:
- Dawn Armstrong, Vice-President, Region 1 (Human Rights and Equity portfolio)
- Leanne Cooke, Project Manager (Staff)
- Pauline Lefebvre-Hinton (Staff)
- Lisa Siciliano, Labour Relations Assistant (Staff)
You may contact the Human Rights and Equity Team with a confidential message and we will connect with you. Human Rights and Equity team members do not provide labour relations advice. Please contact your Bargaining Unit President for any issues surrounding labour relations.
By Mail
Human Rights and Equity Team
Ontario Nurses’ Association
85 Grenville Street, Suite 400
Toronto, ON M5S 3A2
By Phone
Call 416-964-8833 (in Toronto) or 1-800-387-5580 (toll-free), Press 0 and ask for Human Rights and Equity. Please leave us a confidential voicemail and we will respond promptly.
By Fax
Fax to 416-964-3705, Attn: Human Rights and Equity Team.
