Against the backdrop of years of inflation and supressed wages under Ontario’s Bill 124, members of CUPE 5284 went to the bargaining table expecting a fair deal from Kerry’s Place. Instead, they were confronted by 25 pages of painful concessions.

In response, the roughly 210 members of CUPE 5284 who are autism support workers at Kerry’s Place in Dufferin and Peel voted overwhelmingly in favour of a strike if they don’t see meaningful wage improvements.

“This strike vote is the strongest possible message that we can’t accept the status quo anymore. It is absolutely unjust that after years of suffering under legislation that’s since been repealed, management is trying to punish workers once again,” said Tina Standish, an autism support worker and vice president of CUPE 5284. “There are more than 70,000 people on waitlists for autism support services in Ontario. At the same time, we’re seeing members quit because they can’t afford to keep these jobs. The only way to address the appalling situation in our province is by investing in the workers who support people with autism.”

When this round of bargaining began, members were focused on making up for the lost wages of Bill 124. These workers earn, on average, between $2-5 an hour less than counterparts at other agencies and watched the Kerry’s Place CEO, Sue VanDeVelde-Coke, claim double-digit percentage increases while their raises were capped at 1 per cent. Instead of redress, members were blindsided by demands for concessions.

The strong strike vote result is proof of the organizing work CUPE 5284 has committed to. In the weeks before the vote, they held membership meetings and phone trees to ensure that every member understood what’s at stake. 140 members participated in the vote and 96 per cent voted yes.

“Without us, there is no Kerry’s Place and there are no supports for people with autism,” said Standish. “We love our jobs, we believe in the services we provide, and we demand to be treated with fairness and respect.”

Conciliation resumes on April 8. CUPE 5284’s bargaining team remains focused on securing a contract that includes inflation-adjusted wage increases and improved working conditions.