Nurses in Niagara have gathered at busy intersection in St. Catharines demanding a better deal with the government.
The pickets are being held across province as the Ontario Nurses' Association asking the government to meet its demands of better staffing, wages and care.
The nurses are picketing at the corner of Fourth Avenue and Martindale Road until 2 p.m.
Both St. Catharines NDP MPP Jennie Stevens, and new leader of the party, Marit Stiles, addressed the protests at Queen's Park today.
"Health care is a tough but rewarding profession”, said Stiles. “Health care workers deserve our respect and admiration, but in Ontario’s health care system today, they simply don’t receive it. Their demands are reasonable - ensure better staffing and wages so that Ontarians get the care they need when they need it.”
The ONA represents 60,000 hospital-sector members.
“Nurses across Niagara are braving an ice storm today in St. Catharines to advocate for themselves”, said Stevens. “Their message is clear: It is time to stop calling nurses heroes, while supporting unconstitutional legislation that is wreaking havoc on the staffing crisis.”
Today’s rally is the second in a series of province-wide, escalating actions planned by nurses and health-care professionals.