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ADDITIONAL ARTICLES:  Cuts Not Equal   Team Approach   New ODSP Caseloads   OPSEU has Positive Impact\

July 24, 1998 Social Assistance Information Update Membership support needed On behalf of the OPSEU Ministry Employer Relations Committee, thank you for your many calls of support and encouragement. We are extremely pleased to hear that members will do whatever it takes to protect both their futures and the integrity of Ministry-run programs. On July 21, 1998, the Income Maintenance Subcommittee met in Toronto. Of major significance was discussion related to the announced Ontario Disability Support Program. We have relayed your concerns to the employer. The following is a brief summary of what transpired at this meeting: The employer provided an Income Maintenance OPSEU roll-up sheet indicating the current state of affairs in social assistance as it relates to staffing, seniority and classifications. The team compared this to the Income and Employment Supports Staffing Models. It would appear that it is the government wants to cut costs by declassification and deprofessionalization of job titles within the ODSP. Cuts not equal There are also unequal hits to be sustained by each of the area offices: Ottawa will lose 23 per cent of overall income maintenance staff while losing almost 50 per cent of welfare field workers; London will lose 35 per cent of overall staff, including 45 per cent of welfare field worker positions; Windsor will lose 26 per cent of overall staff, and almost half of its welfare field workers; Waterloo will cut 12 per cent overall staff, and 33 per cent of welfare field workers; Hamilton will lose 28 per cent overall staff, 45 per cent of welfare field workers; Northern Area Office will cut 48 per cent of total staff, and 40 per cent of welfare field workers; Barrie loses 6 per cent total staff, and half of its welfare field workers; Mississauga is almost identical to Barrie situation; Toronto will lose 36 per cent of total staffing, and 50 per cent of welfare field workers; Kingston loses 21 per cent of total staff, 45 per cent of welfare field workers; Peterborough loses 20 per cent total staff, 50 per cent welfare field workers; North Bay Area Office loses 35 per cent total staff, and 60 per cent of welfare field workers. “Team approach” masks 50 per cent cut Add 110 Vocational Rehabilitation Counsellors, and 35 Parent Support Workers to the mix and it becomes crystal clear why the employer is advocating a “team approach” to case management. It is simply an attempt to declassify the profession while cutting $45 million per year from staff budgets. Interestingly, this equates to exactly half of the $90 million increase associated with the delivery of Ontario Works by municipalities Isn't it strange that the Ministry's 50 per cent portion of that bill equals the dollars saved through our job losses? New ODSP caseloads: 3,000 to 1? Your MERC team does not accept management's proposed ODSP alignment. We will do everything in our power to preserve the integrity of the program while safeguarding your profession. We have put the employer on notice that we intend to pursue this vigorously. Management has offered to meet with representatives from OPSEU to discuss our concerns vis a vis staffing requirement. The employer says that over 200,000 people will be entitled to benefits under ODSP. Does it seem reasonable that 68 EROs would be able to evaluate eligibility on an ongoing basis? Caseloads of over 3,000 to 1 seem a bit preposterous. Management estimates that approximately 10,000 disabled Ontarians will be eligible for employment assistance. We have challenged that position because many more of these clients are willing to work and are seeking assistance that will provide for that opportunity. Is it acceptable that thousands of disabled Ontarians be placed on a waiting list for employment supports due to a lack of staffing? Regardless, management's proposal that caseloads be in a ratio of 200 to 1 is unacceptable especially since the Employment Support Program Staffing Model calls for 13 managers supervising 55 specialists. The ODSP does not include the Parental Support Worker position. The team has raised numerous reasons why PSWs have to be included in this provincially-run program. The employer believes the municipalities will fill this gap. How does this address program integrity and consistency? The Handicapped Children's Benefit program will continue under a new moniker, Children With Severe Disabilities with no changes in staffing or responsibilities for members performing this work. OPSEU has positive impact Brothers and sisters, we have had a positive impact on the decision to run ODSP as a provincial entity. We will be calling on all of you to support us as we continue to on our quest. We firmly believe that this government must display sensibility and sensitivity in programs affecting the disabled community. A provincial program is indeed the best way to do it. In solidarity, Robert S. Eaton MCSS MERC Chair