Picketers continue to line the streets of Hanover this week, as community services workers advocate for more funding from the provincial government.
Members of Ontario Public Service Employees Union (OPSEU) Local 235, representing Hanover's Community Living, have been on strike for a week and a half as employees want their compensation to catch up to other public sectors.
OPSEU member Bradi Watson says after years of stagnation because of the Ford government's wage suppressing Bill 124, its time for the province to step up and make things right.
"With (Bill 124) found as unconstitutional, we've been trying to get remediation for that for a number years," she said. "Obviously the employer isn't able to provide that, because they're just not given the funding by the government to provide that, so that's what our push is right now. Although we're out on strike with Community Living Hanover, it's actually the Ford government that we're making the big push with."
The picket is part of "Worth Fighting For", a province-wide movement calling for social services to receive fair funding from the province.
As OPSEU and other unions continue to protest across Ontario, members of provincial parliament have taken an early summer break and won't be back to the legislature until October 27.
Watson says the lack of provincial dollars has had an impact on everyone at Community Living.
"A lot of these folks are working multiple jobs just to be able to survive. Some of the folks even having to use community services such as the food bank, because they're not making their wages," she said. "On top of that, the programming hasn't got the funding that it needs to really function as well as it could be. The clients and the residents that are living in the homes that are supported are noticing there's an impact with what they're able to do... as we know, groceries are going through the roof, so we need to try and keep up with that increase."
Organizers say they're pushing to get the Ministry of Children, Community and Social Services and the Ministry of Health to the table to make sure programs are properly funded moving forward.
Randy, a client with Community Living, shared a poem Wednesday morning about the ongoing strike.
"Walking up and down the street with picket signs in hand, we won't leave without a fight until someone hears our demands," he said. "The enemy is going to find us there until our help is paid fair and square. How could the enemy keep us in debt, while they somehow find the funds for a wasteful jet? I hope when the enemy looks our way, they are getting nervous. They're going to have to realize we're providing a needed service."
Watson said picketers will be out in Hanover Monday to Friday from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. if the public wants to show their support.
And on Thursday, OPSEU Local 276 and Owen Sound Family Health Team, will be holding a by-donation hot dog lunch and Q&A from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. on the Giche-name-m'wikwedong 10th Street bridge in Owen Sound.
