WoodGreen management salaries swell while striking workers demand fair wages

TORONTO, Oct. 16, 2014 /CNW/ - As WoodGreen Community Services workers enter into their second week of strike action, figures from Ontario's Public Sector Salary Disclosure list reveal how WoodGreen management's total salaries and benefits have increased by 177% between 2010 and 2013.

Between 2010 and 2013, WoodGreen's total salaries and benefits for executive management rose dramatically from just over $394,000 to nearly $1.1 million, while the number of managers on the sunshine list jumped from three to eight.

The largest salary and benefit increase went to WoodGreen's Chief Operating Officer, Anne Babcock, who saw a 27% increase in wages and benefits during that three year period. President and CEO, Brian Smith, who earned over $204,000 in 2013, saw an increase of nearly 15%.

"We are shocked that WoodGreen can tell its workers that they have no money for wage increases, while they have been giving themselves exorbitant raises over the years," says Gloria Spence, who has worked as a Personal Support Worker for 25 years and is currently earning $16.38 an hour.

WoodGreen workers continue to push for a meaningful wage increase that reflects the rise in the cost of living.

"Workers are being told that a 2.5% wage increase would cost the organization $650,000 and is unsustainable. However, five management staff alone made over that same amount of money last year," says Barry Fowlie, Director of Workers United. "We even brought down our proposal to 2%, but WoodGreen has still refused."

WoodGreen has yet to come back to the negotiating table with a revised offer.

SOURCE: Workers United Canada Council

Contact Navjeet Sidhu, Workers United, 416-510-0887 x274