Barrie, ON—Frontline AIDS-service and harm reduction workers at the Gilbert Centre voted to strike after years of underfunding. Every member cast a ballot—and every member voted yes.
The roughly members of CUPE 1813.14 run harm reduction programs, warming centres, outreach to drug users, and other critical programs that save lives. Many leave work and go to second jobs or food banks because they struggle to make ends meet.
They organized to join CUPE in 2022 when roughly 85 per cent of members were precariously employed, going contract to contract. They fought—and won—stability. Now they are fighting to transform underpaid jobs at the Gilbert Centre into careers they can be proud of with fair wages and the stability of a pension.
“We love these jobs. We make a difference every single day. But we should not be punished with poverty for dedicating our lives to helping the most marginalized in our communities,” said Rebecca Madrid, president of CUPE 1813. “Social services in our city and our province are in crisis. Our neighbours cannot afford cuts or waitlists, and we cannot afford poverty wages that don’t invest in our future.”
The strike vote follows months of organizing through the Worth Fighting For campaign which unites thousands of CUPE and OPSEU members from more than 50 social services agencies across Ontario. The campaign demands fair wages and renewed investment in community services after years of neglect and the unconstitutional wage cap of Bill 124. While some public sector workers have been compensated for lost wages, Doug Ford’s Conservatives have ignored the workers who form the backbone of Ontario’s care economy.
“Ask parents of children on the autism waitlist or child protection workers who are forced to warehouse children in motels, and they’ll tell you that our social services are on the verge of collapse. This government has underfunded agencies and disregarded workers, hurting communities for years,” said Fred Hahn, President of CUPE Ontario. “That’s why we have waitlists and workers at food banks. We deserve a better Ontario, and these jobs, good services, and healthy communities are worth fighting for. The years of workers in social services quietly accepting whatever scraps the government hands out are over. We’re ready for a fight.”
Across Ontario, dozens of social service locals have taken or are preparing for strike votes, signaling growing frustration among frontline care workers and a coordinated demand for action.
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For more information, please contact:
Jesse Mintz, CUPE Communications Representative
416-704-9642 | [email protected]
:gv/cope491
