Community social services: strike action to escalate
The multi-union community social services bargaining association is planning for a strategic escalation of job action. Job action in coming weeks will highlight the diversity and scope of crucial services that members provide, including:
- assistance, shelter, and counselling for women and children fleeing violence
- infant development consultation and therapy
- counselling and guidance for youth at risk
- residential and other care for developmentally challenged adults
- early childhood education, supported child development, autism intervention
- assistance for Aboriginal families and new immigrants
Job action is planned for the last week of January. The bargaining team is calling on the government to commit to re-funding community-based social services programs, and to provide a fair and reasonable wage increase. Essential services will be maintained throughout any upcoming job action.
Members will be contacted directly if their agency or workplace is a target for job action. Sign up at www.hsabc.org or provide your personal email and phone number by emailing @email.
There has been some forward bargaining momentum in other sectors, including deals in health, post secondary, and several crown corporations. Roughly half of BCs public sector have now reached deals that include wage increases. Bargaining has not resumed for Community Social Services, however, and there are currently no plans to return to the table.
More than 20 agencies on Vancouver Island were on strike the week of December 10, generating significant media coverage, including on radio, television and in print. These were the largest job actions since rotating strikes began on October 16.
Stay in touch:
• check bargaining updates at www.hsabc.org and www.CSSfairdeal.ca;
• "Like" these Facebook pages:
• "BC's Community Social Services Workers"
• www.facebook.com/hsabc
• follow @hsabc and @CSSFairDeal on Twitter
The Community Social Services Bargaining Association (CSSBA) represents 15,000 community social service workers across BC. The BCGEU is the largest union in the community social services sector, representing about two-thirds of workers. HSA, CUPE, and HEU are members of the association, as are UFCW, CSWU, USW, SEIU and CLAC.
An interactive timeline of the community social services job action to date is now available online here
You can print the community social services strike leaflet here