OPSEU 358 members hit picket lines with job security and wages as key issues

Members of local 358 of OPSEU have gone on strike. The strike is affecting Community Living Trent Highlands, which has locations in Lindsay, Peterborough and Haliburton.

“With this recent news, we have been preparing to provide safe and secure support for people. But despite our efforts, the reality is that many of our people will be receiving reduced services for the duration of this labour action. Therefore, we felt it necessary to call for the final offer vote to try and settle the terms of a new labour agreement and end this impending strike action,” said Teresa Jordan, executive director, in a press release.

“While we certainly appreciate the union’s position as reported in the press and the social media, we remain committed to supporting and further strengthening our relationship with Local 358 and their members in Peterborough, Kawartha Lakes and Haliburton,” said Jordan. “We are working hard to end this strike amicably and return to full operations.”

After a final offer was proposed, the union voted 87 per cent against accepting a forced deal.

Tom Newton, secretary of local 358, said that more than 4,500 social workers and community service professionals, went on strike as part of the Worth Fighting For campaign.

Ashley Armstrong, who works at the Peterborough location as part of the supported independent living program joined the strike in Lindsay. She said out of 309 members, 301 refused the deal. “The employer would not commit to putting on paper that there would be no layoffs if we accepted that offer.”

“We’re trying to get the attention of both (Premier) Doug Ford and the employer, to say things have been under supported and underfunded,” she continued.

The main objectives of the campaign is to have a wage increase and ensure there are no layoffs, as well as calling for a remedy to Bill 124. The bill was enacted in 2019, and limited wage increases to a maximum of one per cent per year over a three-year period for the social worker sector.

The bill affected thousands of workers including nurses, teachers and university employees. Ultimately unions challenged the bill saying it went against their constitutional right to free and fair collective bargaining.

In 2022, an Ontario Superior Court judge struck the legislation down. Then, in February 2024, when the Ford government appealed this decision, the Ontario Court of Appeal ruled that the law infringed upon Charter rights.

Since then, many unions have called upon the province to make up those wages that were lost while the bill was in effect.

Newton said that some haven’t seen a wage increase in three years, and now they’re asking for three per cent wage increases each year for the next three years.

Bargaining has been ongoing for the last 13 months, and Newton said if the strike continues, it will have an impact on the community members they serve.

Community Living Trent Highlands provides services to those living with development disabilities and their families. “We support some of the most vulnerable people in this community. We help them with all aspects of their daily living. In some cases, we assist with everything right down to medication and advocacy,” Armstrong said. “We want what’s best for the people we support, and that’s having staff that aren’t burnt out.”

“In our field of developmental services, we build relationships with these people, we know these people,” Newton said.

Armstrong said until a fair deal is reached, members will continue to strike. “We care about our jobs, we care about the people we support, but (we) should not be expected to have to use food banks, and to work three jobs, and spend more time working than with our families.”