Community Social Services: helping those in need while on strike
Community social services workers who continue to provide vital services despite being on strike since mid-October are taking their job action to a new level on Wednesday (December 12), holding a public action in Nanaimo aimed at sending a strong message to the provincial government: stop putting vulnerable families last!
In the multi-union event, taking place from 10 am until 2 pm at Diana Krall Plaza, in front of Nanaimo Public Library (Harbourfront branch, 90 Commercial Street), members from HSA, CUPE, and HEU will serve hot food, collect and distribute warm clothing, and hand out leaflets. The unions would appreciate any additional support from the public in the provision of warm clothing.
Union members who work at the following agencies in the mid-Island are at essential service levels at various times on Wednesday for 24-hour job actions:
• HSA members from the Haven Society (8:30 a.m. except for members working at Haven Transition House, which will run as usual.)
• CUPE members from Local 3376 who work for the Nanaimo Association for Community Living (7 a.m.);
• HEU members from the following agencies: KDJ Alliances Holding Ltd (7 a.m.), J. Garnons Williams in Lantzville (6 a.m.), and Pamela's Home Society in Ladysmith (7 a.m.); and
In Parksville, BCGEU members will picket the offices of the Parksville and District Association for Community Living (118 McMillan Street) from 8 a.m. until 4 p.m.
Since October 16, rotating strike action in community-based social services have impacted agencies throughout B.C., including in Vancouver, Kamloops, Prince George Victoria, Nelson, Vernon, Williams Lake, and--earlier this week--the North Island.
The union members taking job action on Wednesday are represented by the Community Social Services Bargaining Association, which includes ten unions representing 15,000 workers in the sector.
Download a public leaflet here.