After a day of talks between the Ontario Nurses' Association (ONA) and the province ended with no progress, it appears the situation is headed for arbitration.
The Ontario Association of Community Care Access Centres (OACCAC) says the talks on Thursday that included a Ministry of Labour mediator were suspended without a resolution.
Megan Allen-Lamb, provincial CCAC spokesperson, says, "It is very disappointing that we were unable to reach a negotiated settlement with ONA even after 12 hours of mediation."
But ONA President Linda Haslam-Stroud says the offer on the table Thursday was basically the same as what had previously been rejected.
Allen-Lamb says that while the CCACs would prefer a negotiated settlement, they are willing to participate in arbitration with the ONA - as recommended by the Minister of Health - to resolve the dispute.
"ONA has contended that the wage dispute be settled based on the outcomes of other interest arbitration awards. Perhaps allowing a neutral third party to review the relative merits of both parties' positions is the only way to bring an end to this dispute."
Haslam-Stroud says the ONA offered to go to arbitration months ago, but “Unfortunately, the greedy employers rejected arbitration to strong-arm our CCAC health professionals and force them out of their workplaces.”
CCAC staff - about 3,000 nurses and health professionals who co-ordinate care for patients - have been on the picket lines for over two weeks and have been without a contract for more than 10 months.
Of the province's 10 CCACs, only one, Hamilton Niagara Haldimand Brant, reached an agreement with its ONA-represented staff at the end of Jan. 2015.
