New Region 1 VP: “We are an essential force”

An RN for 32 years, mostly in the intensive care unit and acute medical/cardiac telemetry unit at Sault Area Hospitals (SAH), Storozuk, who was elected to the ONA Board of Directors by Region 1 members last fall, says she quickly learned critical thinking, organization and leadership skills, which not only assisted with her various positions at the Local level, but in her new role as Region 1 Vice-President.

“Like so many, my involvement with ONA started when I needed my union and the Bargaining Unit President fought for my rights,” explains Storozuk, who has been part of the SAH Local executive since 2016. “I immediately felt the need to give back and decided to be a unit representative, but my Bargaining Unit President saw something more: she needed a grievance chair. That year, I filed more than 300 grievances for a membership of 525.”

That advocacy only grew stronger over the years as she became SAH Bargaining Unit President, Secretary-Treasurer and Local Coordinator for ONA46 and a Region 1 representative on ONA’s 2023 hospital negotiating team, where “my goal was to empower my members and, for the first time in our Bargaining Unit history, they came out in a blizzard to rally during negotiations.”

“Region 1 is unique, not only because of its size, but the isolation of the north. Being part of this region means we must work harder to unite members and show solidarity. We’re stronger together when we’re united in our collective actions to protect the rights of our members and public inequality and injustice. We’re an essential force for social change and necessity. I’m working hard to ensure our members have a voice at the table.

“My current portfolio of Professional Practice also provides a distinct opportunity to strengthen our voices through changes in process, education and support to Locals from Professional Practice Specialists. My goal is to listen to and relay our members’ concerns, ideas and suggestions for improvements, and to always fight for safer workplaces and positive changes to support nurses and health-care professionals to deliver the highest quality care to Ontarians. Just like at my Local level, transparency, communication and education are pillars upon which I base my leadership.”

And that’s important because with the Ford government recently being elected to another term, nurses, health-care professionals and unions are in for more turmoil.

“I graduated in 1992 when social contracts were being forced upon unions, which limited employment opportunities, enforced wage freezes and eroded the protection of rights under collective agreements,” Storozuk says.  

“Today, the Ford government’s attack on unions is even more insidious with Bills like 124, 60 and 7, all of which have forced many nurses to move to higher-paying private agency jobs, causing detrimental staffing shortages and an even wider gap in health care that was already at risk due to years of underfunding. Repeatedly, Doug Ford has demonstrated he wants to break the back of public unions, but our solidarity, unity and collective action with our brothers and sisters has proven we are a formidable opponent. And we must not stop!”