Windsor-Essex public health nurses vote against tentative agreement

More than 80 public health nurses in Windsor-Essex have voted against ratifying the tentative agreement with theWindsor-Essex County Health Unit.

The nurses have been on strike since early March.

On Monday night, Ontario Nurses Association Local 8 tweeted that picket activities on Tuesday would be cancelled.

Now that nurses have voted against the agreement, the nurses will "continue to use their time on the picket line" organizing certain events, ONA Local 8 says in a news release.

"We are disappointed that this strike will continue, and that our dedicated nurses are not yet able to go back to doing what they care so deeply about working to ensure the health and well-being of their communities," said president Vicki McKenna with ONA.

The WECHUhad asked ONA Local 8 to come back to the table last Thursday, after talks broke down just the day before.

"The health and well-being of our community continues to be our top priority," said WECHU CEO Theresa Marentette.

About 86 nurses were off the job as of March 8, 2019. They had been working without a contract since March of last year. Negotiations broke down and many public health services were cancelled, including school immunization clinics.

One nurse on the picket lines in Leamington was hit by a car on March 14.

Marentette had said the offer on the table was consistent with public health units across Ontario. The association had said that in addition to money, the nurses were looking for increased support and assistance in dealing with their growing workloads.