Windsor-Essex nurses reach three-year deal with WECHU

About 84 public health nurses representedby the Ontario Nurses' Association (ONA) reached a new three-year agreement with the Windsor-Essex County Health Unit (WECHU).

The new collective agreement was ratified by public health nurses last week, and laterapproved by the health unit's board, both organizations said Friday.

The Ontario Nurses' Association announced in a statement that nurse will see a wage increases of 8.5 per cent over three years, in addition toflexible working hours, saying that their nurses receive some of the lowest public-sector pay in the province.

"The agreement comes after ONA members hosted two public information pickets to raise awareness about their demands and encourage the public to put pressure on the employer," the nurses' union said in a statement. "The nurses are grateful to community members who supported nurses in their fight for fairness from the Windsor Essex Board of Health.

The health unitsays in a statement that the agreement brings a "balance between the growing demand for public health services and the budgetary pressures of the health unit, while offering nurses a meaningful wage increase in each year of the contract."

ONAcurrently represents68,000 registered nurses and health-care professionals, in addition to 18,000 nursing students.