Health & Social Service Unionized Workers at LLGAMH, CMHLG & BACLA On Strike as of Monday Morning

Brockville – Over 300 health and social service workers at Lanark, Leeds and Grenville Addictions and Mental Health (LLGAMH), Children’s Mental Health of Leeds and Grenville (CMHLG), and Brockville and Area Community Living Association (BACLA) are now on strike as of 12:01 this Monday morning.

In April the union local voted for strike, then on May 1st OPSEU local 441 filed a no board triggering the legal countdown to strike at the three agencies.

The issues are low wages, understaffing and “employer’s who are more concerned with photo ops and massive management pay increases,” said the union.

Earlier this week Ontario MPP and House Leader Steve Clark announced that the LLGAMH had received an additional 4% increase to base funding, or an additional $441,000.

On this announcement Ontario Public Service Employees Union (OPSEU) OPSEU Local 441 and Lanark, Leeds and Grenville Addictions and Mental Health agreed to meet on Saturday May 23rd and try and resolve prior to a strike that will be felt across Leeds Grenville.

“Sadly, the agency has other uses for this funding and offered staff an additional 5 cents over their previous offer,” said the union.

The union went on to say the bargaining teams each provided availability to bargain this weekend. “They know the impact a strike will have. Like you they love our community, they love the work they do. They want to be at work,” the union also stated.

“At LLGAMH Kim Gifford, who has received a pay increase of over $48,000 over the last two years offered a nickel for our members on Saturday. At BACLA Sandra Summers offered increases less than what staff received over the last two years, and no respect for staff schedules. And at CMHLG part time CEO Lorena Crosbie left town, ignoring the request of the mediator to provide availability this weekend,” the local union stated in a Facebook post.