Social service workers with the Fort Frances Association for Community Living are on the picket line this week, pressing for a boost to their wages.
The 62 workers, members of CUPE Local 65, care for adults with developmental disabil-ities. Wages begin at $9.00 per hour, raising to $15.27. Meanwhile managers are paid $25.84 an hour.
With the employer offering only a 1.5 per cent increase, the ACL workers are calling on the community to put pressure on the employer to improve its offer and the province to improve funding.
Dedication and specific skills are required for this demanding work and low wages make it difficult to recruit and keep qualified staff. Especially for older parents of developmentally disabled adults, the worry about their childrens future can be enormous