News and event information for Williams Lake, BC - as it happens.

Caring professionals from agencies that support children and adults with developmental disabilities and provide numerous other community services will be on strike this week in the the Cariboo.

Striking workers want to send a message to the BC Liberal government: 'stop putting vulnerable families last'.

On Wednesday, November 14, Community Connections and the Summit Opportunity Centre, both support programs of the Williams Lake Association for Community Living, will strike for 24 hours. Essential services levels are being maintained.

In Quesnel, the Quesnel Community Living Association, Prima Enterprises Day Program and Dengarry Professional Services will also strike for 24 hours.  Similar job action will take place in Vernon and Armstrong this week.

"Since 2004, the BC Liberal government has slashed $300 million in funding for programs that support the developmentally disabled, vulnerable women, at-risk youth, and children and infants in community-based programs across the province," according to a BCGEU media release.

Community social service workers are on strike for better wages, which have declined over the last decade. The current starting wage for a residential care worker is $15.54 an hour. In 2002, it was $16.83. Factoring in inflation, that’s a 22 percent wage cut.

The government is insisting that any wage increases be funded though cuts elsewhere in the collective agreement.

Since October 16, rotating strike action in community social services has impacted agencies across British Columbia.

There are 15,000 unionized workers in the community social services sector, represented by BCGEU, the Canadian Union of Public Employees, HEU, HSA and five other unions, which together make up the Community Social Services Bargaining Association.

Further job actions will target agencies in the Lower Mainland later this week.

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