Strike contingency planning

On Monday, February 26, 1996, the Ontario Public Service Employees Union (OPSEU) went on strike. The month-long strike included the 10 provincial psychiatric hospitals in Ontario. Within the psychiatric hospitals, the included direct care providers--RNs, RPNs, psychologists, social workers, occupational therapists--as well as support workers (food service, maintenance, housekeeping, and office employees). In anticipation, the mental health program at the London Health Science Centre (LHSC) developed a contingency plan that went into action when the strike was announced. This paper outlines the plan, describes what happened and makes recommendations for nurses who may be faced with similar situations.