Recently, the provincial government announced a two per cent wage increase for the community-support sector, which provides service to individuals with developmental disabilities.
However, if a worker is in a unionized position, they would receive a four per cent increase for each of three years, creating a six percentage-point difference in increases by 2022. How is this equitable?
How will it affect those who have individualized funding because they want inclusion in the community and have to hire individuals who, by the nature of the job, do not belong to a union?
Community Living sa国际传媒 provides only enough individualized funding for people with disabilities to hire others by the hour, certainly not full-time and certainly not with benefits that unionized workers get.
People who believe that inclusion in community is the best choice for their children have chosen individualized funding to provide their children with choices. This allows them to hire and direct their own support, as full citizens are allowed to do. Service providers (unionized) choose for the individual and provide group activities.
It is going to be very difficult for families to find support people who want to work for less than what they can get with a service provider.
Sandra Phillips
North Saanich
