Fight with Erin: We’re unstoppable!

I’m guessing none of you got a 14-week break.

That’s far too long. It’s clear that Premier Ford is trying to limit opportunities for anyone to hold him accountable. When legislature is sitting, the government is expected to explain its agenda to Ontarians, and its proposals are supposed to be thoroughly examined in open debate before they’re voted on by MPPs.

Instead, the Ford government is ramming bills through with almost no debate and introducing legislation that lacks crucial details. He’s letting regulations, which can be changed behind closed doors, dictate those details after the bill has passed, effectively sidestepping our ability to object. And bills are often bypassing legislative committees, which was another chance for stakeholders to raise issues.

This means we have almost no chance to weigh in on the issues that matter most: workplace violence, health-care understaffing and privatization.

But we aren’t powerless. Far from it.

In recent times, we have seen nurses and health-care professionals from places like New York City, the United Kingdom and New Zealand stand up against governments and employers, demanding fair wages, staffing ratios and workplace improvements.

What do all these global actions mean? They provide at least three important lessons:

1. Globally, workers are fed up with government underfunding and attacks on public services.
2. Nurses and health-care professionals no longer accept that we should be seen and not heard.
3. We aren’t alone.

Global worker uprising is proof that we can take bold actions in our workplaces and in the streets to challenge the powers that be and fight for better.

But I bet you’re thinking that here in Ontario, most of us can’t do that. That ONA members can’t take those same actions. I hear you.  

After all, following the release of the Sheri Price hospital arbitration decision last year, which completely ignored our main demand of nurse-to-patient ratios that many parts of the country are already moving towards, it was clear our hands were tied with the Hospital Labour Dispute Arbitration Act (HLDAA).

That outdated legislation, which is out of touch with the realities of bargaining in the 21^st century, places an absolute ban on the right to strike and mandates interest arbitration as the sole way to resolve bargaining disputes. But interest arbitration isn’t fair or effective for workers, nor does it replicate free collective bargaining in any way.

Following that decision, we sent out a few urgent emails to our hospital members, asking how we should fight back, and what you would be willing to do. Your response was overwhelming and I’m proud to say we’re moving ahead based on that feedback. Stay tuned for more information.  

This debacle deserves a fight, and I know from the response to our urgent emails that ONA members are ready to push the envelope. To go out of your comfort zones. To light the fire. To stand up for your constitutional right to strike. Nothing changes unless we change it. And that means taking risks. But if we take collective action together, no one can stop us.

Look to our siblings from around the world. They didn’t wait for permission. They didn’t settle for crumbs. They were fiery. They were feisty. And they changed the conversation.

Let this be our moment.