PEEL, ON – With more Canadians struggling with mental health challenges and a cost of living crisis, jobs at Services and Housing in the Province (SHIP) have become increasingly difficult in recent years just as workers wages have stagnated. That was the resounding message delivered in yesterday’s strike vote by members of CUPE 966 who work at the Peel agency.
These workers provide community mental health programs, support people in independent and transitional housing, staff 24/7 youth shelters, provide addictions interventions and more. They are a crucial part of Peel’s safety net and, for years, they’ve seen increasing demand for their services. Meanwhile, they suffered under the now repealed Bill 124 legislation that imposed a wage cap of 1 per cent at a time of skyrocketing inflation. That means that while they’ve continued to do more with less, they have, in real dollars, roughly 10 per cent less money in their paychecks than they did 5 years ago.
“Workers are burnt out and broke. Most of us have second jobs and still struggle to make ends meet. SHIP is a massive agency supported by the provincial government, Ontario Health, the Region of Peel, United Way and other big funders. It’s an embarrassment that the workers who deliver these critical programs are turning to food banks and struggling to pay monthly bills,” said Carolyn King, Community Mental Health Counsellor and member of the bargaining committee. “We delivered a petition signed by over 200 members asking the Board of Directors to help make sure workers can pay their bills. They didn’t even respond. We will not be ignored any more and I am so proud of my coworkers for standing up for themselves.”
Worker morale at SHIP has plummeted while turnover has hit new highs since the pandemic and inflation crisis, impacting the agency’s ability to deliver critical services. Despite this, SHIP is currently exploring a plan for provincial expansion over the next ten years. Their offer to workers of a 1 per cent wage increase – matching what workers were forced to accept under Bill 124 – would only mean $28 more per pay (before taxes) for the highest paid worker at SHIP. Lesley Nagoda, SHIP’s CEO, has seen a 22 per cent increase in recent years, amounting to $44,000 more in her paycheck.
“Just last week, SHIP was patting themselves on the back for being recognized as a Canadian Nonprofit Employer of Choice. This behaviour at the bargaining table and this treatment of workers is not how an award-winning company acts. Instead of hunting for accolades, SHIP should be taking the needs of their workers seriously,” said Fred Hahn, President of CUPE Ontario. “Mental health workers and supportive housing workers have never been so important to the health and well-being of our communities and these members have the unflinching support of all 290,000 CUPE Ontario members as they fight for the good jobs they deserve and good services Peel absolutely needs.”
Members voted 91% in favour of a strike with roughly two-thirds participating in the vote, a testament to CUPE 966’s recent efforts to engage and mobilize members to fight. The two sides return to conciliation on March 17.
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For more information, please contact:
Jesse Mintz, CUPE Communications Representative
416-704-9642
mb/cope491
