CUPE social service workers in Ontario have sent a clear message to the Harris government. Theyre not willing to join in the poor bashing.
Responding to a government proposal to impose drug testing on welfare recipients, 200 front line workers attending their annual conference in Toronto this past weekend condemned the plan and refused to cooperate in its implementation.
CUPE caseworkers are appalled by this latest attack on Ontarios most vulnerable citizens and they wont participate in the governments bogus consultation, said National President Judy Darcy. Drug testing is an abuse of human rights and its not the answer.
CUPE members know that if the Harris government was really serious about helping people on welfare, it would reduce the number of families each caseworker has to work with each and every day, said Darcy. If there were more caseworkers, theyd be able to assist people get the counselling and training they need.