'Huge win' as Community Living Cambridge workers vote to join OPSEU
CAMBRIDGE, ON, June 21, 2018 /CNW/ - Seeking decent wages and a strong voice in the workplace, more than 300 developmental services workers at Community Living Cambridge have voted strongly in favour of joining OPSEU.
"This is a huge win for the workers and for the people they help," said OPSEU President Warren (Smokey) Thomas. "By joining OPSEU, they've given themselves the strength and solidarity to fight for better working conditions, which means they'll be able to offer even better care to the people who depend on them.
"Yesterday was Developmental Services Appreciation Day and I can't think of a better way of celebrating than by welcoming hundreds of new developmental services members to our great union."
The new Community Living Cambridge members, who join nearly 12,000 other developmental services workers in OPSEU, will now be able to bargain a collective agreement that lays out clear rules about working conditions and how much they're paid.
"These new members have decided to take a stand for transparency and accountability in their own workplace, and I'm incredibly proud to welcome them to OPSEU," said OPSEU First Vice-President / Treasurer Eduardo (Eddy) Almeida.
Over the past year, OPSEU's Developmental Services sector has been running a successful province-wide campaign to "Raise The Bar" for workers in the field.
"Even though the work we do is incredibly important, it has been sadly neglected by the government," said Erin Smith-Rice, the chair of OPSEU's Developmental Services Sector. "But by mobilizing our members and building alliances with community groups, we forced the previous provincial government to commit to a base funding increase to our agencies.
"As our number of developmental services members continues to grow, we'll ensure that the new government honours that commitment."
SOURCE Ontario Public Service Employees Union (OPSEU)
OPSEU President Warren (Smokey) Thomas: 613-329-1931; OPSEU First Vice-President / Treasurer Eduardo (Eddy) Almeida: 289-439-2135; OPSEU Developmental Services Sector Chair Erin Smith-Rice: 807-627-8709
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