Workers have taken part in an information picket outside of Family and Children Services office locations in Renfrew and Pembroke. The information picket took place from 12:00pm to 1:00pm on Thursday, May 26th, 2022. Members of OPSEU/SEFPO Local 459 were picketing against cuts to jobs and services.
Nicole Dennison, the President of Local 459, says they want to let the Ministry know they aren’t pleased with the proposed cuts.
As part of the information picket, the message sent was to invest in workers, not managers, protect staffing levels and restore transparency and integrity.
Dennison says they are being proactive instead of reactive in terms of advocating for funding.
Dennison says budgets will look different in the coming years with fewer front line services, extended timelines and service cuts for families, children and youth.
Even though it was a rainy afternoon, a large group attended the information picket including retirees, support from the Children’s Aid Society of Ottawa and the local labour group.
Family and Children Services of Renfrew County (FCSRC) says they remain committed to preserving services to families. Executive Director Kathy Davis says as FCSRC continues to address financial pressures, they want the community to know they will always work to preserve the services provided to families.
There were discussions about cutting 14 full-time child protection positions, but FCSRC says that number is inaccurate as staffing levels in a number of areas have been achieved through attrition and natural leaves. FCSRC says due to financial pressures they had to recently issue one layoff notice and they continue to look for future cost savings which includes examine staffing levels, management and unionized positions.
Davis says they never take these decisions lightly and only ever decrease staffing levels when absolutely necessary.
(written by: Rudy Kadlec)