May 22, 2012

Join us across the province for our Day of Action on May 23. At the Ontario Disability Support Program, we help people with disabilities live with dignity.

Government plans for downsizing and eliminating programs are not the answer. Moving us to Service Ontario and privatization is not either.

Let us tell the public about our commitment over the past two years to make changes to our program, so we provide personal, accessible and inclusive service to clients. This overhaul to our customer service has just begun.

Downloading our program to municipalities will only end up increasing costs and decreasing services. It could result in services not being delivered equitably across the province.

As a provincial program, ODSP offers more than income support. We promote social inclusion, employment inclusion and public inclusion. We are advisors to our clients, providing options for greater participation in community life and, where appropriate, the workforce. We celebrate our clients’ successes, milestones and even baby steps towards full inclusion in the community.

There is no question that social assistance in Ontario needs to be reviewed; both for cost savings and better service to the people we serve.

Our rates are too low to enable people to live a respectful and healthy life. An overall increase to rates, with a nutrition benefit included for all recipients, would directly impact on the daily quality of life for these Ontarians. The shelter costs are also unreasonably low across the province, but most particularly in large urban centres.

We have just begun the change over to an Integrated Customer-Centred Service delivery which would enhance the client experience by providing a holistic approach to case management. Changes are being introduced to enable caseworkers the opportunity to work more closely with clients and fully engage them in long term planning with the hope of fulfilling the Ministry’s vision of enabling all Ontarians the opportunity to participate fully in their community.

Join us this day of action and show this government that cuts hurt us all!

We are planning on handing pamphlets out the four corners of the Peterborough Square mall for 15 minutes then gathering again in the outside food court to walk to Jeff Leal for our demonstration and showing him once again the strength our members have. It is our jobs and our fight. See you May 23in outside food court of mall at 12 pm.

In solidarity,

OPSEU Local 308 stewards at ODSP, Peterborough