I made this petition to make sure that Ontario's nurses aren't penalized for the mental health harms of the pandemic. This issue affects all Ontarians who value healthcare and we need change now! Please sign and share with others!

The government of Ontario recently introduced a $5000 bonus for nurses working in the public health system. The Ontario government has imposed Bill 124 on Ontario nurses to limit any wage and benefit increases to less than 1% per year. This has severely limited the ability of nurses in the province to negotiate fair contracts or the addition of mental health supports during the pandemic. It has also imposed huge pay cuts to nurses when accounting for inflation. This has led to many nurses leaving Ontario or the profession. To provide an incentive to stay working in Ontario Doug Ford's government initiated the $5000 retention bonus. However it comes with a stipulation that nurses must work a minimum number of hours during the Spring of 2022 to qualify. There are many nurses that have had to be on WSIB approved leaves for PTSD as a result of working during the pandemic. These nurses could not work during the qualifying period and are being denied the retention bonus.

The message this sends to our nurses in Ontario is that taking time off for a diagnosed mental health condition makes you worth less to this province. It doesn't matter how much you sacrificed to care for Ontarians or how long you worked. You don't matter to the Ontario government. Your life may never be the same as you deal with a workplace injury that you did not ask for. 

I think we can do better. Please sign this petition and demand the Ontario government guarantee the nursing retention bonus to all nurses who are currently on WSIB approved leaves for PTSD. It is the least we can do this Nurses week!