Talks between the Ford government and the 60,000 registered nurses in this province have broken down.
The nurses claim Bill 124, holding public sector raises to 1%, interferes with the collective bargaining process.
The bill is also a major sticking point in the government's talks with teacher unions.
ONA is one of several unions that have launched a Charter challenge of Bill 124 but the only one to raise the gender discrimination caused by the bill.
“It is very clear that this government has no problem with attempting to suppress the wages of female professionals in Ontario,” says ONA President Vicki McKenna,McKenna. “This is 2020 – and our constitution and pay equity laws require fair and just compensation for women; it is time this government recognized that.”
ONA and the OHA will now proceed to arbitration on March 25 and 26 to achieve a collective agreement.