The bargaining team at Local 214, representing OPSEU members at Pathstone Mental Health is heading into conciliation today with one message: kids need stability.
In the recent provincial budget, the provincial government announced its biggest investment in children and youth mental health services for a system that's been starved of funding for 17 of the past 19 years.
OPSEU applauded the funding increase but asks: did Ellis Katsoff, CEO of Pathstone Mental Health, get the same memo from the Ministry that the rest of us received?
A recent name change in a time of economic restraint from Niagara Child and Youth Services to Pathstone Mental Health, an increase in expensive management restructuring and a pending announcement with respect to layoffs of front line staff suggests that the agency is continuing down the path of wait lists and a patchwork of services.
"Children, youth and families deserve mental health services when they need them" says Leisa Burberry, bargaining team chair "and we're the professionals that want to deliver them."
Members of Local 214 at Pathstone Mental Health have been bargaining since March 31, 2010 when their contract expired.
For more information:
Pati Haberman OPSEU Staff Representative 905-328-7134 Leisa Burberry President OPSEU Local 214 289-686-0208