LONDON, CHATHAM: Developmental services workers across much of
Southwestern Ontario could be on strike as early as June 22 if the government
does not produce a promised and much-needed funding increase for four community
living agencies.
Talks have broken off and conciliation has failed to produce a
settlement at four agencies that support people with developmental disabilities:
Community Living Chatham-Kent, Community Living London, the Elgin Association
for Community Living (St. Thomas), and Middlesex Community Living (Strathroy).
More than 1,000 workers, members of the Ontario Public Service
Employees Union, work for wages 25-30 per cent lower than workers in comparable
positions in health care, education, municipalities and other public services.
“The Liberal government can fix this by flowing the necessary
funding,” said OPSEU President Warren (Smokey) Thomas. “Only 20 million of the
200 million in new funding in the recent provincial budget has been allotted to
wages this year.”
“Our members are dedicated to the people they support, and to
their work, so this is a difficult decision for them, but they have been working
for too long for wages too low for the valuable work they do.”
These workers, two-thirds of whom work part-time, support more
than 1,350 people in the London region, in more than 100 worksites. “Hiring and
retention problems are the norm in these agencies,” said Gino Franche, regional
vice-president. “Even the employers agree that wages must go up substantially
but the government needs to flow the funding now, so they can pay these
important workers what they are worth.”
