As a historic strike in community, health and social services is well into its fourth week, Premier Ford continues to ignore voices of families and workers who are demanding urgent action to increase funding for vital services and deliver stolen wages.
At a press conference on Tuesday morning in Thunder Bay, Premier Ford falsely claimed the strike was just between managers and the union, and re-iterated stale talking points inflating his government’s investment in services. Data from multiple sources, including the Financial Accountability Office, shows that funding for social services is not keeping up with demand and service levels.
“Ford cannot continue to pretend he has no role in solving this dispute when our members are on the line fighting for what his government stole from them,” said JP Hornick, OPSEU/SEFPO President. “When he stole from these workers, he was cheating communities of the services they provide: wait lists are growing and people are falling through the cracks.”
The striking workers have yet to receive remedy for the Ford government’s unconstitutional Bill 124 which capped public sector worker salary increases at one per cent during a period of record inflation. Years of wage suppression and chronic underfunding have pushed community, health and social services to the brink, forcing some workers to take on multiple jobs or access food banks to make ends meet.
“It is the premier’s responsibility to deliver the funding required to give these workers what they are owed, like has been done for tens of thousands of other public service workers in other sectors. Stop picking winners and losers and just do the right thing,” added Hornick.
Workers and families have reached out to MPPs, including several PC MPPs who have issued similar statements parroting the Premier. Multiple PC MPPs have refused meetings with workers, with instances of MPPs shutting down offices, calling police on workers, or in one incident yesterday, MPP Kevin Holland bumped striking workers with his vehicle.
“I wrote to Premier Ford when the strike began, and I have texted him almost daily, and gotten no response. Our MPP has closed her constituency office to the public. What are they hiding from?” asked Grace King, whose daughter Rochelle relies on services provided by workers at Community Living Trent Highlands.
“It’s insulting to see MPPs tout their ‘record investments’. It is very well and good to spout out numbers, but if that funding amount falls beneath what the sectors need, it is not enough. And people like my daughter pay the price. These workers know our family members and what they need. They go the extra mile every day to provide quality care and prevent serious incidents,” added King.
The union, alongside families and several advocacy groups including the Ontario Autism Coalition, are urging the government to finally take responsibility and deliver funding for stolen wages and the future of services in our communities.
“Ford needs to stop passing the buck suggesting this dispute is between managers and union members,” added Hornick. “Employers are telling us clearly that the funding is not there – with some even signing joint letters calling on urgent funding to end the strike. Compared to the billions of dollars flowing through private companies instead of going to the front lines, doing what’s right to make these workers whole amounts to pocket change.”
Nearly 4,000 workers are currently on strike for the future of the services they provide in their communities. These workers support some of the most vulnerable people in the province, including children and adults with disabilities; women feeling violence and abuse; people with mental health and addictions issues; people experiencing homelessness; and adults with developmental disabilities and complex care needs.
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Striking workers and families are available for comment.
For more information contact:
Katie Arnup, OPSEU/SEFPO Communications at 647-881-2939 or [email protected]
Jolene Cushman, OPSEU/SEFPO Communications at 416-518-2368 or [email protected]