Striking Kerry's Place workers and their supporters picketed outside the Newmarket head office today, marking one week of labour action.
The striking workers, who are members of the SEIU Healthcare union and work at 14 Kerry's Place homes in Toronto providing care and support to residents with autism spectrum disorder, set up a picket line at 17345 Leslie St. Nov. 28.
"We’re not sitting up in that office, we’re down here. And we are fighting for what is right. We want a better workplace. We want out employer to value us, we want them to respect us and we want them to pay us,” said Erica Valentine.
She is a member of the Kerry's Place bargaining committee and joined the demonstration. She worked as a development service worker at Kerry's Place for 16 years.
The union is asking for better wages, paid sick days for part-time staff, and a proper process to address complaints of racism in the workplace, which consists of a number of Jamaican and Nigerian Canadians. They have been at the bargaining table since May, however, the 128 workers the union represents began striking Nov. 21 and now says the employer has locked them out.
Andrea Gordon, another member of the bargaining committee, said they are going to picket until they get a fair deal.
“We are the main reason why Kerry’s Place continues to be open, we know this,” she said. "We know these individuals, they’re vulnerable. We know they depend on us, they count on us for their daily living. They’re not counting on the executive board. It’s the frontline staff they’re counting on. Without us they cannot live a good healthy life."
By not returning to the bargaining table, she said Kerry's Place is showing that it doesn't care about its employees or residents.
"Kerry’s Place does not care about us. They’re showing us that they do not care about the individuals they’re supporting. By allowing us to remain out here and locking us out, they’re showing us that they do not care about the individuals they’re supporting,” Gordon said.
In a statement Nov. 22 after the strike began, Kerry's Place said it was committed to resolving the strike quickly and "will continue doing all we can to ensure that quality care is provided to all individuals, and that families continue to have ongoing access to our homes."
Lise Lareau's sister has been in a Kerry's Place home in Scarborough for 35 years. She said since the strike began, the home has been staffed with management and workers from outside agencies.
"Kerry’s Place is trying to function as if everything is OK,” she said.
Lareau has attended the rallies in support of the SEIU workers and while she said she is just one individual and doesn't represent all families, she knows other feel the same way.
“They know how hard they work, they see if with their own eyes,” she said.
Lareau started a Facebook group called We Support Autism Workers at Kerry's Place so others could really see what's happening at the picket lines, what the workers look like, and to raise support for the striking workers. There is also a link to a Go Fund Me page for the workers.
Representatives from other unions like the postal workers union, OSSFT, OPSEU, the United Steel Workers and the Toronto and York Region Labour Council also joined the picket line today despite the wintry weather.
"I know it’s cold but we will not stop,” Valentine said.
NewmarketToday did not receive a response to a request for comment from Kerry's Place prior to publication deadline.
