TORONTO – Ontario Liberals are calling on Doug Ford to urgently repeal Bill 124 and expedite the process to get internationally educated nurses credentialed. Bill 124 caps pay raises for Registered Nurses at 1 per cent, and has virtually frozen their compensation since 2019.
“Registered Nurses are heroes who stepped up at every moment of this pandemic to keep us safe,” stated Ontario Liberal Leader, Steven Del Duca. “It’s time to repeal the wage cap and give them the compensation they deserve for their incredible work. Doug Ford needs to end his political fight against fair pay for Registered Nurses immediately. Asking them to volunteer at vaccine clinics without repealing a cap on their pay is just salt in the wound for a group facing extreme burnout after two incredibly difficult years.”
Action could begin on building up nursing capacity tomorrow if Doug Ford agreed to recall the legislature. Ontario Liberals called on Ford to bring more internationally educated healthcare workers into Ontario’s COVID-19 response at the beginning of the pandemic, but they have yet to turn to that talent pool for help.
“Instead of forcing Registered Nurses to donate all of their free time to vaccine clinics or turning to private consultants to boost nursing capacity, we should be making it easier for internationally educated nurses to support the response to COVID-19,” added Del Duca. “It’s time to expedite the process to get more of them accredited urgently, so that we don’t miss out on a brilliant talent pool that wants to help.”
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