Community Living London workers eye picket lines Monday over retroactive pay dispute

Hundreds of unionized workers at Community Living London could go on strike next week. CTV’s Gerry Dewan reports.

Unionized workers with Community Living London (CLL) are preparing to walk off the job as early as Monday, threatening strike action over demands for retroactive pay dating back to 2010.

The workers, represented by OPSEU Local 166, are intensifying their campaign this week, targeting Members of Provincial Parliament (MPP) in a bid to resolve the ongoing labour dispute.

The core of the dispute centres on pay adjustments following the Ford government’s Bill 124, which had frozen public sector salaries.

While courts have since ruled the bill unconstitutional, allowing many employee groups to secure a 6.5 per cent retroactive salary increase, CLL workers say they have not received similar compensation.

“Like the LCBO, corrections officers, some educators and some hospital members received the 6.5 [per cent raise],” stated OPSEU 166 President Lisa Fewster. “But for community livings, we individually go to the table, to our employer to try to get the money, and they don’t have it. They are underfunded.”

Fewster highlighted that unlike sectors with provincial collective bargaining, community living employers often lack the resources to meet these demands due to chronic underfunding.

Demonstrating their resolve, members of OPSEU Local 166 were in Woodstock on Tuesday, protesting outside the office of Oxford MPP Ernie Hardeman.

A brief attempt to speak with Hardeman inside his office proved unsuccessful, with one member noting, “Wouldn’t even give us two minutes of his time.”

Further demonstrations are planned this week outside the offices of Conservative MPPs Rob Flack in St. Thomas on Wednesday and Steve Pinsonneault in Strathroy on Thursday.

Fewster indicated that approximately 600 Community Living London workers could be on the picket line Monday morning.

The potential for broader action extends across the province, with an estimated 4,500 members from 26 other OPSEU locals also considering strike action.

These workers provide essential services, staffing group homes, running day programs, and offering employment support for people with intellectual disabilities, aiming to help them “live fulfilled lives,” a core tenet of Community Living London’s mission.

According to Employment Services worker Sandy Granham, “They’re paying taxes. They’re out there feeling they’re part of their community. You get a lot of buy in from the employers.”

The prospect of a strike is already causing significant concern for this vulnerable population. Jackie Campbell, who provides support services, highlighted the potential disruption for clients, “I support four gentlemen that are currently being packed up to move out of their homes.”

She expressed worry about the anxiety residents may face with unfamiliar replacement workers.

Sue Fairweather, a day program support worker, echoed these concerns, fearing that unprepared replacement staff might struggle with challenging behaviours.

“People can be attacked and physically hurt. We have WSIB claims all the time; weekly. We have members that have to wear specialized helmets, Kevlar,” Fairweather stated, underscoring the safety risks involved in their roles and the need for robust support systems.

While the union hopes to avoid strike action and urges the government to address the funding shortfalls that impact their ability to meet evolving needs, Fewster acknowledged a lack of optimism on behalf of members.