Topic
Love The Tyee? We need your support. Become a Tyee Builder for as little as $5/month.
Roving job action not enough to bring employers, employees together over wage and benefit disparities.
Strikers post in front of the Vancouver Aboriginal Child and Family Services Society yesterday. Photo by Katie Hyslop.
Child welfare workers hampered by BC's three overlapping, error-prone case tracking processes.
Years at bottom of public sector pay built anger, a strike is likely, say union leaders.
If you are a client of Vancouver Aboriginal Child and Family Services Society (VACFSS), chances are you didn't notice a disruption in the services you received yesterday. But if you had visited the East Broadway building, you would have had to pass a few dozen striking workers on your way in.
Community social service workers under the BC Government Employees Union took part in a one-day job action protesting the government's cooperative gains mandate and their employers' request for budget cuts in exchange for wage increases. It was just one of a "rolling series" of walkouts the union has staged across the province since they left the bargaining table on Aug. 17.
"The government has been sticking to its bargaining mandate of co-operative gains, which means you have to cut something in your collective agreement to get wage gains. Basically, it's taking out from one pocket and putting it in the other," said Oliver Rohlfs, the union's communications officer.
"The problem in this sector is that they've already gone through a decade of cuts. It's community workers in not-for-profit societies that are already doing a lot with very little, and there's not much scope for achieving co-operative gains."
Their employer, the Community Social Services Employers' Association (CSSEA), admits employees are making up to 10 per cent less than comparable jobs in the education and health sectors. Negotiations have been difficult because there is little left to cut.
"A lot of the efficiencies and cost savings were realized in 2003. So there (aren't) a lot of areas that we can find additional savings going forward," said Gentil Mateus, CEO of CSSEA.
Beyond demanding comparable pay for comparable work, there's also a feeling of inequality between aboriginal and non-aboriginal agencies that recalls old tensions between governments and First Nations. Comparing herself to a Ministry of Child and Family Development (MCFD) social worker, VACFSS child protection worker Maggie Fiddler says she does the same job for less.
"There's no difference in the work that we do, there's no difference in the degrees needed, there's no difference in the ongoing training to be at the delegation level between MCFD and aboriginal services," she told The Tyee.
Essential services maintained
There are approximately 60,000 community social service support workers in B.C. working in a variety of areas, from Aboriginal child and family services, to transition housing, crisis centres, and more. Roughly 15,000 of them are employed by CSSEA, which covers non-profit organizations receiving at least 50 per cent of their funding from government.
Most of the workers taking part in yesterday's walkout were administrative staff. Other community social service employees were deemed essential workers, and under the bargaining agreement were not allowed to participate in job action. That was to "make sure that the health and safety of anybody covered by a social service worker is not affected," according to Rohlf.
Mateus estimates about 70 per cent of CSSEA community social service workers are employed as part of Community Living BC under the Ministry of Social Services, while the MCFD employs the rest, including those working for Delegated Aboriginal Agencies like VACFSS.
Such agencies provide child and family services comparable to those of ministry social workers, but to aboriginal communities. Representing over 2,000 kids in care, as of July aboriginal agencies were responsible for 44.4 per cent of aboriginal children in care.
Most community social service workers want to be on par with their colleagues in the province's healthcare sector. Mateus says the Health Employers' Association of BC, which employs facilities, community, and health science employees in the province, is their biggest competitor for workers.
"We want to ensure that the sector is competitive in recruiting and retaining staff, because we believe that it's important to ensure that the sector delivers quality client care going forward," he told The Tyee.
While health employees don't have a deal yet, negotiations will resume on Dec. 10. Negotiations for community service workers, however, have gone nowhere in almost five months.
Rohlf says they haven't come back to the table because CSSEA hasn't produced any compensation offers. But Mateus says just because they aren't at the table doesn't mean they aren't talking.
"We want to be back at the table when both sides have something meaningful to discuss, that can bring us closer to reaching an agreement. But the timing is not quite right yet," he said. "What's made this round of bargaining particularly complex is the expectations that workers have are significantly higher than our ability to generate savings within the sector."
The largest union in this sector is BCGEU, closely followed by CUPE. Sheryl Burns, a community social services worker at the Battered Women's Services Society and vice president of CUPE Local 1936, says one thing her colleagues in health have that she doesn't is higher wages.
"We do much of the same work as healthcare workers in that particular agreement, but we're compensated at much lower rates. We actually are the lowest paid public sector workers out there," she said.
Back in 2000, workers were paid roughly $16.50, but now an average starting wage is $15.42, she said. "But we have workers that are making maybe $13.42 an hour."
Unequal pay for aboriginal services
Although Burns doesn't work for VACFSS, she and a half dozen other Battered Women's Services Society employees marched in front of VACFSS yesterday to support aboriginal community social service workers.
"Workers with VACFS are getting a raw deal. They're not getting compensated at the same rate as other workers in the field of social work are, and we believe that's discrimination," she said.
"I see this as an example of aboriginal people being abused by the system and being disrespected by the government."
For Fiddler, the main issue is benefits. For example, where MCFD-employed social workers have their wages topped up during maternity leave, Delegated Aboriginal Agency employees make do with Employment Insurance.
"If a ministry social worker gets pregnant, her employer tops up. She's not going to be sitting at 60 per cent of her wages; she's going to see 100 per cent of her wages, and that is not what's going on here," she said.
Another issue is paid sick days, which were cut down for all community social service workers to 12 from 18 days in 2003. But Mateus says overall benefits are comparable to workers in similar fields.
"When you look at extended health, dental, long-term disability, accidental death and disability, the benefits are very comparable," he said.
This is not the first time Delegated Aboriginal Agencies have spoken out about receiving unequal treatment. As of this past July, the agencies were providing services to just over 2,000 children, 44.4 per cent of all aboriginal children in care. At the same time, all social service agencies were dealing with the slow and bug-filled transition from an old data management system to the new Integrated Case Management system that resulted in lost files and a risk to children and families receiving services.
Yet Lise Haddock, executive director of Lalum'utul' Smun'eem Child and Family Services of the Cowichan Tribes, told The Tyee last July that MCFD did not provide funding to update and combine aboriginal agency data management systems, resulting in social workers using three separate data management systems -- two government and one aboriginal -- to keep track of children and their families.
Fiddler hopes these walkouts will help aboriginal agencies and other community social service workers achieve parity with similar services in terms of benefits and wages. But even if that happens, she wants a change in government, too.
"I want Christy Clark's resignation. I want us to have a government that cares about the people that they govern, not just the rich but for the middle class, the working class, and our people in poverty," she said. ![[Tyee]](http://thetyee.cachefly.net/ui/img/ico_fishie.png){kind=small}
Read more: Health, Rights + Justice, Labour + Industry,
14
Login or register to post comments
Kreditanstalt
27 weeks ago
In the REAL, cold world out there...
IF this were a free & competitive market...
No one would be paid based on what any others are paid...
No one would be paid based on what they think they "need"...
No one would be paid based on what someone deems a "living wage"...
No one would be paid based on rising price inflation...
No one would be paid based on how hard they themselves think they work...
No one would be paid based on their years of training or education...
Everyone would be paid based on how profitable they are to their employer.
Profitability doesn't matter? A BUSINESS would not exist without it.
Well, when the ones using the services aren't the ones paying for them and the ones performing the services have no job competition, who cares about making a profit?
alive
27 weeks ago
poor delerious Kred
So everything we do has to be run as if it was a business?
Well, I guess there is not much profit to be made by helping those who are unfortunate enough to be needy?
So what is your answer? "delete" them perhaps?
Bailey
27 weeks ago
I'm sorry
Dear K.
I have often wondered what would make a man with reason believe as you do. Thank you for being so forthcoming.
It must be terrible indeed to live in such a cold place, and to believe it real.
It only seems real because you make it so. If you can change your own heart, some warmth might appear for you. Please try.
Logical BCer
27 weeks ago
Government's Role
Kreditanstalt,
As such a firm believer of free markets, I assume you also believe the Government's only role is to provide services that people cannot provide for themselves.
Social services workers provide the ray of hope and the essential service that cannot be provided to one's self in the "REAL, cold world" you so accurately portray.
From a business perspective just think of the money we save on future healthcare and policing costs by making sure these needy people get what they need to be productive, profit producing members of society.
Despite the continued mandate of "net 0" the CPI continues its rise. Between 2009 and 2012 the CPI has increased on average 2% per year. This has resulted in a real dollar decrease in worker's wages in the public sector.
Kreditanstalt
27 weeks ago
@Logical BCer
I just say it as I see it. There is no voluntarism in the present setup - and claiming that using the money of others to "provide services" shows "compassion" is disingenuous.
The role of government is to - with unanimous consent - provide protection against overt theft, fraud and violence. To guarantee the security of private property. And to ensure civil liberties: the right to free speech, of assembly, of the press and so on.
That's all. It certainly shouldn't be engaged in theft, price-fixing, monopoly protection, market-rigging, money-printing and propping up asset values...
Bob Watts
27 weeks ago
Disappear I say.
I'm Disabled and a large number of people are getting paid what would be winning the lottery to me!
I get to stave while people I do not need and will never need have a dam great life.
What really bugs me the most is the bell ringers draining cash off people who think they are help the disabled.
I love the commercial of the lady reaching for beans in the store.
No fire the whole lot and double the disability rates, like Alberta has done!
If I need help....maybe I can hire my own foriegn worker to wash my back and cook those beans.
Doug Park
27 weeks ago
Heh, again.
Let's follow the logic here, setting aside for the moment that Kreditanstalt has previously and explicitly rejected both logic and facts in favour of greater truths, otherwise known as "whatever he pulls out of his ear at the moment." (Kind of reminds me of Christy Clark in that way, actually!)
Quote: "The role of government is to - with unanimous consent - provide protection against overt theft, fraud and violence."
Logic: With "unanimous" consent required, and since we can be fairly sure the thieves, fraudsters and violent among us will not give their consent, then by Kreditanstalt's theory we will have no police, prisons, or safety of any kind - unless of course we can buy it out of our own pockets for whatever enclaves we can temporarily carve out of the chaos.
Of course, as noted, there is no logic involved in the argument "K" is presenting, only slogans and ideology.
SharingIsGood
27 weeks ago
Constitution Acts, 1867 - 1982
to Counter Kred...
The Canadian Constitution states that taking care of those with need is within the jurisdiction of the governments of Canada.
"7. Everyone has the right to life, liberty and security of the person and the right not to be deprived thereof except in accordance with the principles of fundamental justice.
"15. (1) Every individual is equal before and under the law and has the right to the equal protection and equal benefit of the law without discrimination and, in particular, without discrimination based on race, national or ethnic origin, colour, religion, sex, age or mental or physical disability.
Marginal note:Affirmative action programs
(2) Subsection (1) does not preclude any law, program or activity that has as its object the amelioration of conditions of disadvantaged individuals or groups including those that are disadvantaged because of race, national or ethnic origin, colour, religion, sex, age or mental or physical disability. (84)"
Bob Watts
27 weeks ago
No Help for those in real need!!!
The Canadian Constitution does not really help those living in poverty! Does it!
PS: The Sally Ann just canceled all their Pro-Bono Lawyers and Legal Aid is 99% gone in BC.
Harper did spend $500 million on a Human Rights Museum. Why?
$375 for rent is all a disabled person gets, which means food money goes to rent, leaving nothing for food.
Rent $375.oo
Food $235.oo
---------
$610.oo
Yes this $610.oo is what these workers make in what 3 to 4 days.
Next welfare cheque is Dec-19 then it will be 35 days or 5 weeks till the next $610.00 rolls in and out in a day.
We are going 3rd World as per Government Policy!
zalm
27 weeks ago
Debt of thinking
Krudite thinks government's only responsibility is to protect private property.
His land, his house, his family, his food, his intellectual property rights, his wealth stored in whoever he makes a deal with to keep it safe, his force of arms, his life....
No kidding he wants government to enforce all these things, because one single bullet can end the lot of them in a split second. But he always forgets, the government is us and is no more likely to enforce rules to his benefit than it is to the detriment of any among us. We're not that stupid.
And after all these years of living here and in China, all those years of education, all the good and bad examples he's observed the world over, he hasn't yet figured that out.
That's the real tragedy.
Bob Watts
27 weeks ago
Why Why Why
One day I would love to see these workers and charities carrying picket signs demanding raises to welfare rates.
These guys always have thier hands out to help themselfs but never a plan to help the poor.
PS: It is possible to have a meeting without food and cakes and pizza.
Hey grab a poor person and take them to lunch on your expense card.
Get your Bell Ringers outside Crustry Clarks office and demand and end to Child Abuse, like Child Poverty!
SharingIsGood
27 weeks ago
Bob Watts
Say Bob Watts,
I couldn't agree more that the treatment of disabled and elderly people in BC by the government of BC is beneath heartbreaking, beyond scandalous. I do, however, believe that the frustration you feel is misplaced when rail against Social Workers. Of those who are expected to have a university degree to complete their jobs, social workers are among the most poorly paid people in North America. Many social workers have huge client lists; and as a group, they suffer high turn-over and high burnout rates.
I believe it is not the social workers who are at fault for the chronic under-funding for those who are in need. It is the politicians who direct government spending. The plight of our disabled has steadily worsened under the guidance of the BC Liberals. High paying jobs have been shipped overseas. These were jobs that create more tax revenue thus enabling greater amounts to be directed toward disabled people. Part of this reduction in revenue has come through a reduction of taxes charged to Banks.
The banks take their windfall savings and invest elsewhere instead of investing in BC. RBC just reported huge earnings in the last quarter. Did the fat cat board members at Royal Bank offer to help BCs disabled people? Not a chance! I don't think we should expect modestly paid social workers to give more than the 1 percenters? Disabled people and social workers should be receiving better cheques.
The Federal Conservatives have also made life more difficult by prioritizing spending away from transfer payments to the provinces as they follow goals to increase military spending on hardware produced outside of our country. Ever-more-expensive fighters do nothing to help the dire situations of disabled people.
mary jane
27 weeks ago
Hey Bob Watts I agree with
Hey Bob Watts I agree with your comments and other who have written here. If the Politians can have raises why not everyobe else in B.C.
If the elected government is supposed to take care of the voters and their families Crispy and the previous non helper has done a very poor job and yet they seem to hope to get votes in the next election Huummm
When was the last time anyone on low income got a raise? . I am referring to basic welfare rates, or disability and when do a seniors get a raise if they live in poverty?? The evening news says the price of food is going up and the food banks are being used more and more even by seniors. Yet Crispy Clark and her cohorts have expensive lunches that takes food from KIDS and others who need it. Keeping people healthy save health care $$
Isn't it against the law not to feed kids enough Yet Crispy Clark who says its Families First hasn't raised welfare rates nor upped the tax credits to people who have kids So who are the two people in Canada who could apply the Constitution of Canada oh ya crispy + harpo yet they seem to do the opposite even to changing EI
Remember the plight of the severely disabled became part of the 6 O'Clock news before they got help and I wonder if even that was enough.
I wonder when we will get someone who actually will do the correct thing - not the right thing
JeriSkaggs
27 weeks ago
You would have had to pass a
You would have had to pass a few dozen striking workers on your way in.
barge builder