Talks With Nurses Break Off

NEWS RELEASE

ONTARIO HOSPITAL ASSOCIATION

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OHA encourages the Ontario Nurses' Association to return to the bargaining table

TORONTO, May 29 - The Ontario Hospital Association (OHA) is
disappointed that collective agreement negotiations with the Ontario Nurses' Association (ONA) have broken off, and is encouraging the ONA to return to the bargaining table.

"Ontario's hospitals value the hard work and dedication of all our employees," said OHA President and CEO Hilary Short. "We remain optimistic that renewed bargaining will lead to a voluntary collective agreement."

The negotiations, aimed at securing a new, multi-year collective agreement between Ontario's hospitals and the approximately 50,000 members of the ONA who work in hospitals, began on February 27, 2006.

Earlier this month, the OHA was able to successfully negotiate a new, three-year agreement with members of the Ontario Public Sector Employees Union (OPSEU) who work in
hospitals.

"The OHA's bargaining goal is always a negotiated, within-mandate collective agreement," said Short. "We believe that the outstanding issues can be resolved through renewed bargaining, and we encourage the ONA to return to the bargaining table as soon as possible."

If negotiations do not result in a collective agreement, the OHA and ONA will begin a binding arbitration process in August 2006.

Nurses are a critical part of Ontario's health care team, and Ontario's hospitals offer nurses great opportunities to meet their personal and professional goals.

Since 1998, the number of nurses employed full-time by
Ontario's hospitals has increased by 10,383 (from 15,482 to 25,865), and at $36.52 per hour, plus benefits, Ontario's senior full-time nurses (25+ years experience) are the best-compensated in Canada.

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