My opinion matters: What’s happening with our health-care system
ONA member Gloria Cardinal-Tan rallies members and supporters during a rousing speech at ONA’s All Out rally in support of hospital bargaining in Toronto last January.
ONA member Gloria Cardinal-Tan rallies members and supporters during a rousing speech at ONA’s All Out rally in support of hospital bargaining in Toronto last January.
My name is Gloria Cardinal-Tan and I’ve been an RN for 25 years.
The issues currently plaguing Ontario’s college system are similarly affecting our health-care system, particularly at the hospital level. I firmly believe that urban areas are now worst off than rural areas.
One major concern is the chronic understaffing of hospitals due to the layoffs of non-nursing staff and not enough nurses being hired. This has resulted in poor nurse-to-patient ratios.
Underfunding by the Ford government is a precursor to privatizing some health-care facilities, with investments focused on buildings and infrastructure rather than on staffing. Premier Ford’s recent announcement to expand surgeries to private, for-profit clinics won’t fix our ailing public-funded health-care system. It will make it worse.
The Ford government is using xenophobia and division to keep starving the system and open it up to privatization. Ontario’s colleges are also being gutted while the government gives private corporations millions for education. This is particularly alarming. If left unaddressed, this trend will inevitably lead to increased job losses, reduced opportunities for learners and economic decline.
The situation in the health-care sector is similarly concerning. Nurses have witnessed the steady deterioration of patient care. Patients are becoming increasingly ill and the Ford government’s rejection of nurse-to-patient ratios has only exacerbated the issue. Research shows that lower staffing levels lead to increased mortality and morbidity, including malnutrition and dehydration, confusion, urinary tract infections, pressure ulcers and pneumonia. This underscores the urgent need for action.
While two provinces have successfully implemented staffing ratios, ratios are worsening in Ontario, which is both unsustainable and dangerous. The combination of reduced nursing staff and increased patient loads inevitably leads to nurse burnout, resulting in physical, mental, psychological and spiritual exhaustion. Many are considering early retirement, career changes, better-paid traveling nursing positions or moving to other provinces.
The recent arbitration decision for hospital members resulted in a 5.25 per cent increase to our salary over two years, but that isn’t enough. I consider it just enough to augment inflation. It’s shameful and shows no respect. We were compared to retail clerks and office workers, who have completely different skill sets. Hospital CEOs and the Ford government have no idea how hard we work, often going home late and tired to our families.
Manitoba also recently announced staffing ratios in priority areas in its Throne Speech and its RNs are among the highest paid in Canada. Nurses do the same work. Where is the justice? Where are our equal rights? I believe our human rights are being violated. RNs are among the highest paid in Canada.
There must be a way to fight back. We have a lot of nurses in Ontario looking for jobs. In fact, I’m on the Board of Directors of the International Filipino-Canadian Nurses Association, and 7,000 internationally educated nurses are waiting for work but facing multiple barriers to training and permanent immigration status.
The issue is not scarcity; we have enough money, but the government is not releasing the funds intended for health care. Instead, it’s focused on building infrastructures.
I urge everyone to join forces to support nurses in fighting privatization. Privatizing health-care facilities will impact vulnerable populations, especially those without money and immigrants. It’s not migrants who are taking away our health care; it’s the government and corporations. It’s not fair.
Let’s work together to make a positive change.
We need our hospitals functioning and our college campuses running. We need to support our colleges and fight for our human rights. We deserve better than layoffs. Nurses are the backbone of the health-care system; without us, it fails. Nurses show strength and priceless dedication. Let’s work together to make a positive change. When we rebuild our ailing health-care system, we will win!
Many of my colleagues feel they can’t speak up and are scared to show up to rallies or sign petitions. But we must put in the effort. ONA and our union allies are getting stronger. So, let’s become stronger than ever through solidarity! I believe in one team, one dream. One union, one dream of solidarity.
Over the past four years, I’ve participated in numerous actions that have proven we are stronger collectively, including mass rallies at Queen’s Park.
While the arbitrator’s decision on the hospital collective agreement was a betrayal to nurses – we were so upset and angry – I took the opportunity to discuss the impact with nurses, and many were awakened and willing to participate in refuting this decision. I wanted nurses to join our demands for funding in hospitals and long-term care and for hiring more nurses and personal support workers. We should challenge the Ford government’s policies on human rights issues.
Our solidarity as nurses and working people is our GREAT POWER.
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