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Strike action ' looms for FCS social workers Melodoe Martinuk Chronicle Staff Social workers with the Waterloo region Family and Children's Services could be on strike before the end of the month. According to Mary Anne Kuntz, a negotiator for the 65 social workers employed by Family and Children's Services, more than 95 per cent of the bargaining unit, members of the Ontario Public Service Employees Union, have voted in support of some form of job action. Strategies under review include a walkout and work to rule. The social workers have been without a contract since December. An attempt at conciliation has failed, and the social workers could be in a legal strike position before the end of the month. "Our workers are very unhappy about the status quo. Unless something drastic comes out of the Ministry (of Community and Social Services) there's no doubt in my mind that some sort of job action will happen; From experience with other FCSs it appears there isn't any way to resolve this short of a walkout," said Kuntz. The main issue in this contract dispute is salaries-the social workers argue that wages paid by Family and Children's Services are not competitive with those paid at other other agencies. Currently, social workers employed by Waterloo region Family and Children's Services, many with a Master's degree, are paid $24,000 to $32,000 yearly, with the top end of the scale reached after nine years. By comparision social workers with similar qualifications earn $28,000 to $32,000 at the region, $32,000 to $39,000 at St. Mary's hospital and $29,000 to $42,000 at the Waterloo region separate school board of education. The FCS protection workers are asking for a 12-per-cent wage hike, which would bring their salaries to between $27,500 and $34,000; management's final offer was less than two per cent, she said. "Clearly our salaries are lagging...we're not asking for something outrageous or unrealistic, we're simply asking to be competitive," said Kuntz. ' Peter Ringrose, executive director of Waterloo region Family and Children's Services, agrees that social workers employed by his agency are not paid competitively. but stressed that the increase offered is the best they can do. "There's no doubt about it, for our MSWs our salaries are less competitive than most other agencies around...with the tight funding restrictions we've lived under for many years, we simply haven't been able to keep pace with what other agencies are paying. We're offering all we can with the dollars we have," said Ringrose. Both Ringrose and Kuntz said that the Family and Children's Services has long had serious problems hiring and holding on to qualified staff, and this situation is beginning to affect client service. Kuntz pointed out that less than 30 per cent of FCS social workers have worked with the agency for more than two years, and this "doesn't make for good consistency of service. "Clients end up being the victims when you have a revolving door of staff," she said. _ "We've had grave hiring problems over the past few years-why would someone work for us when they can work somewhere else for more money. I see real difficulties in the future, fulfilling all the responsibilities the agency has to fulfil when we aren't able to hire the qualified staff we need," said Ringrose. Both Ringrose and Kuntz also point to the provincial Ministry of Community and Social Services as the source of their problems. According to Ringrose, the Ministry, which provides 80 per cent of the agency's operating budget, has agreed to only a four-per-cent increase in funding, and that isn't enough money to provide for the ever-increasing needs of the community and the salary demands of his staff. "The only answer is we need additional funding," he said. Nevertheless, it seems Family and Children's Services cannot hope for financial help from the Ministry to resolve the current contract dispute. "The Ministry has said we have to settle with the union within the funding limits the Ministry has imposed on us," said Rin- If a strike should occur, he said, Family and Children's Services will attempt to maintain emergency services using supervisory staff. "It will very much be a bare-bones service, but we will do the best we can to serve the needs of families and children in this region," concluded Ringrose. Waterloo City Council has approved a recommendation to spend $450,000 on re- construction and decoration of Regina Street at the new city centre site. The expenditure is $150,000 more than council included its 1987 capital works program. The overrun is ”cessary to im ve both sides of Begin. Street and 'arc Street due to pendilu re-develop- 50k for spiffed up Regina Street The funds will be used for monstruction of roads, sidewalks, 30mm and storm Reconstruction and decoration planned at City Centre site sewers and the installation of decorative lighting and planters on Regina from Willisma to Herbert Street and William from Regina to Herbert. The city's technical co-ordinating com- mittee approved the hiring of an engineer- ing consultant to hands design and contract supervision. In a straight swap deal, Ontario Seed Company and the City of Waterloo have agreed to trade the decayed Canadian WCI student Bit-in organizer Wayne Bezner (left) looks on as grade 10 student Lake Willson plays his guitar to several hundred students. Ononick photo Mark Bryson Chronicle Staff Several hundred students staged a peaceful noon-hour sit-in at Waterloo collegiate Friday, protesting the school's perceived communication gap between students and administration. The rally was held to show support for a proposed student grievance council, a body that would represent the student population and present its views in a formal, administrative capacity. The current dress code dictates students must dress in a "clean, decent and appropriate" fashion. Each teacher is allowed to decide whether a student is appropriately dressed for his or her class. Sit-in organizer Wayne Bezner, a grade 10 student at WCI, said the proposed council would be comprised of an equal number of teachers and students and would act in a court-like manner to settle student-teacher-administration squabbles. "As it stands now, the students at WCI who wish any administrative change are playing a game of broken telephone. Student council is merely in charge of student activities and administration listens to but does not act upon students' concerns," said Bezner. "What we need is a student grievance council which would represent the student body and present its views in a formal, administrative ca- pacity." - The" school's "subjective" dress code and a ban on portable radios and tape players are two of the student sore spots. - _ - WCI principal Rich Smale says he is willing to sit down with a group of students to discuss their concerns, but was critical of the sit-in. He became aware of the sit-in on Thursday morning and Peaceful demonstration focuses on alleged communication gaps Sit-in 'stand' at WCI NAM m, may, - 0,127 -c-itE 3 The Horseshoe Restaurant will pay $6,620 for another portion of the former public laneway. National railway station on Regina Street South for a portion of public laneway valued at $9,656. A - - _ Waterloo has no immediate plans for the station but it is expected the 100 year-old structure will be retained. The land obtained by Ontario Seed abutts its property on Regina Street. offered to meet with the seven student leaders if they agreed to call off Friday's event. He also offered the group a full debate in the school gym- nasium. "But upon their return, they're all welcome to come to my office and talk this thing out, said Smale. ' Outside _. on the school's front lawn several hundredstudents attended the sit-in over the lunch hour. Approximately 30 spent the whole day on the lawn. "f think this is more of a game than anything else," said grade 12 student Jeff Heywood. He was forced to suspend three students after they refused to call off the sit-in. "They (students) have some valid concerns and I'm always willing to talk if it will make WCI a better plage." - A _ - "It's really sad because Mr. Smale's great. He's more than ready to listen and all he asks for is a little give and take," she said, - A Despite the show of support, many students sought out reporters to ensure that both sides of the story were told. - _ - _ - Grade 13 stuitent" Cheryl Hamilton felt the unfortunate victim of all the attention was Smale. Further questioning revealed that most students were offended by the sit-in with many offering only the kindest remarks about their principal. "If they were willing to co-operate rather than protest. then they might get what they way," _ “In his first year here Mr. Smile has done more good for this school than you would believe possible.“ boasted one student. _ _ __ _ . _ . The three suspended students attended Friday's sit-in despite an earlier warning they could be charged with trespassing.