WORKING TOGETHER
Partnering with families, the Ontario Community Services Coalition (OCSC) unites health, community and social services sectors in a commitment to support and represent over 6,000 individuals and over 5,500 staff members.
About the OCSC
The Ontario Community Services Coalition (OCSC) is a group of families and agencies that advocate for the fair and equal treatment of all agencies, unionized and non-unionized, in the province so that they can continue to protect the interests of the vulnerable Ontarians they serve.
The Ontario Community Services Coalition was incorporated in 2011 uniting a group of diverse agencies with a common purpose: to ensure that the voices of individuals and families are heard within discussions on organized labour issues affecting people receiving services, and to strengthen the sector.
Membership
Our membership encompasses families, individuals, and community support agencies across the health, community and social services sectors.
Vision
To foster a dynamic, creative, influential, diverse coalition that interacts and negotiates with government and partners with our community, including other support agencies, in collaboration with individuals with support needs and their families.
Issues Caused by Centralized Bargaining
The Ontario provincial budget identified a movement to centralized bargaining as a priority of the current government. Given this information, representatives from community services who are non-unionized approached our peers in British Columbia who have had a centralized bargaining system in place since the 90s.
Past Issues Relayed
- an underrepresentation and at times exclusion of the issues and concerns of the non-unionized organization, families and individuals from the process
- a disparity in funding and wages between unionized and non-unionized groups, thus increasing pressure on groups to unionize
- increase in the cost of service
- decrease in service flexibility and innovation
- decrease in responsiveness to family needs
- decrease in choice for individuals and for families
- a shift in focus away from individuals, families, and values to collective bargaining, strike mandates, and higher wages
Why is fair and equal treatment of all agencies, unionized and non-unionized, important?
• To ensure that the voices of vulnerable citizens of Ontario and their families are heard
To ensure a balance between a commitment to individuals and a commitment to advocacy for fair and equal compensation for staff
• To ensure that the needs of vulnerable citizens of Ontario do not become secondary to labour pressures
Family Forums & Links
Stay Informed, Stay Healthy
OCSC has partnered with Dr. Faisal Rehman, Professor of Medicine and Site Chief of Medicine at University Hospital, to provide families with a comprehensive overview of the COVID-19 vaccine in a 30 minute information session.
Learn more, ask questions, and get honest answers:
- Different COVID-19 vaccine brands
- Side effects of the COVID-19 Vaccines
- Safety considerations of the COVID-19 Vaccine and approvals through Health Canada
Our Board of Directors
Brian Dunne
[email protected]
519-660-6635 ext. 227
Deanna Finch-Smith
DeannaFinch-Smith
@lawsonministries.org
905-527-6212 ex. 222
Becky Huffman
Dean Walsh
[email protected]
613.279.2120
Marg McLean
[email protected]
519-284-1400 ext. 225
Maurice Voisin
[email protected]
519-924-3339
Linda Long
[email protected]
519-693-4812