MBC News file photo
The strike involving workers at the Norfolk Association for Community Living (NACL) continued this week, with local OPSEU members taking their protest to a new location.
On Wednesday, members of OPSEU Local 204 NACL blocked the entrance to the Comfort Inn on Queensway in Simcoe. The union said replacement workers brought in from outside the region have been staying at the hotel while the labour dispute continues.
The strike began on May 25 and includes thousands of community and social service workers from nearly two dozen organizations across Ontario. Workers are calling for better wages, increased provincial funding and improved support for front-line services.
Earlier this month, striking workers rallied outside Haldimand-Norfolk MPP Bobbi Ann Brady’s constituency office, where she expressed support for their concerns and urged the province to do more to address funding issues.
Developmental Services Workers provide daily support for people with developmental disabilities, helping with personal care, life skills, employment and independence. OPSEU says years of underfunding have contributed to staffing shortages and long waitlists for essential community services, and workers say a fair agreement remains the goal of the ongoing strike.
Written by Jeremy Hall
