Public health nurses vote to end 2-month strike

After two months on strike, public health nurses have voted to headback to work.

The Windsor Essex County Health Unit and the Ontario Nurses Association began talks again Tuesday, after a "final offer" was rejected the first week of April.

The new contract lasts three years and includes a two per cent pay increase, according to local union president Barb Deter.

"Obviouslythings will be strained for a little bit. But I'm prepared to walk in, to work with my head up, a smile on my face," said Deter. "It's the past. We made an agreement and let's move forward with everything."

86nurses have been off the job since March 8, and working without a contract since March of last year. The strike cancelled a number of public health services, including school immunization clinics.

"At this time, we expect that all of our public health nurses will return to work on Friday, May 10, pending ratification by our Board of Health," said health unit CEO Theresa Marentettein a statement.

The board is expected to meet Thursday morning to vote on the new contract.