London, Ont., Children's Aid workers demand wage increases and better support

More than 100 employees were picketing outside the Children's Aid Society of London and Middlesex (CASLM) office on Thursday, demanding wage increases and better supports on the job.

The union representing the protesting workers said they've been without a collective agreement since last March and working conditions have become increasingly difficult with longer hours and complex caseloads.

"We're dealing with hard social issues while children are suffering with a lack of services," said Beth Houston, president of OPSEU Local 116.

"I have been at this agency for over 20 years and morale is the worst I've ever seen it. The workload is taxing and there is no simple support cases. It's not just in the name of wages."

The union received a final offer from CASLM on Feb. 3, which included a two to three per cent raise but required concessions, including workers giving up previously negotiated paid time off, carryovers of over-time pay and mental health supports for staff, Houston said.

Workers also allege senior management has given themselves a raise, while frontline staff have faced layoffs and frozen wages. In a statement, CASLM refuted those claims and said workers of all classifications were impacted by the now-repealed Bill 124 which capped public sector wages at one per cent.

CASLM said it's committed to reaching an agreement that "acknowledges the increasing complexity of child protection work and is financially sustainable for the organization."

The agency said it's facing a $5.6 million deficit this year, on top of $2.8 million in unfunded child welfare deficit from the 2024-25 fiscal year.

The organization said it reviewed and restructured programs, and changed staffing models to find savings. The changes led to 24 frontline layoffs, seven management positions eliminated and four new frontline positions.

"The high cost of providing intensive residential care for young people is the primary deficit driver at CASLM," the statement said, adding that care for the 10 most complex children exceeds $7 million annually.

"Child welfare funding allocations have not kept pace with the rising costs of providing quality care to the most vulnerable young people in Ontario, who often require intensive staffing to help stabilize and support them in their placement."

Houston said the lack of foster homes and other supports means more children are being placed in hotels or unlicensed group homes, which is compromising their safety.

Jodie Silverstein has been with the organization since 1997 and said she hasn't received more than $1,000 raise in more than a decade.

"We're being told to work harder for less and we just can't do it. We're at the breaking point," she said. "We are so underpaid, some of us are working three jobs just to put food on the table and a roof over our head."