Children's Aid Societies

OPSEU Local 304:
Picket lines up today at York CAS

August 27, 2007

NEWMARKET: All Picket lines went up in about six locations in York Region Aug. 27 after staff of the York Children’s Aid Society rejected a final contract offer.

The Ontario Public Service Employees Union, representing 180 unionized staff at York CAS, was close to an agreement with the employer when talks broke down. The bargaining team could not accept the employer’s last position on wages, workload and mileage.

Wages and an unmanageable workload are the issues that so far haven't been resolved.

Local 304 President Lisa Maynard says, "Everybody on this line does the job for the kids, for the families to help people. This is not what they want to do but under the current conditions, they can't do it successfully."

"We are understaffed. We have lost 50 people in the last two years," says Erin Kinsley, local vice-president. "They have left to find other child welfare employment. This creates a huge workload burden for the staff remaining."

OPSEU members are determined to secure a collective agreement that will address the serious problems with working conditions at the agency.

The most recent contract expired March 31, 2007. No bargaining is scheduled.