After almost a year of trying to settle their first contract, CUPE members who work for Ten Ten Sinclair, which provides transitional housing and permanent independent living for people with disabilities, are saying theyve had enough. The 159 workers held an information picket October 16 to protest the log jam in negotiations.
Our members are very frustrated and angry, CUPE Local 4376 president Howard Ruben says. We just want to get down to bargaining wages and finish negotiating an agreement. We havent had a raise in years, yet after a year of negotiating we still have not even had a wage offer from the employer. In fact, since August we have not been able to get them back to the bargaining table.
The workers personal care attendants, housekeeping, maintenance and clerical employees joined CUPE last year. CUPE rep Ann Robins says, these workers are badly underpaid compared to others performing similar work.
At Ten Ten Sinclair, the starting rate for personal care attendants is only $8.24 an hour. Other workers doing similar jobs that are also funded by the Regional Health Authority are paid $11.69 an hour or more. Wheres the fairness? Robins asks.