THUNDER BAY -- The union that represents 100 employees of Avenue II Community Program Services in Thunder Bay says they are still waiting for their retroactive pay.
The agency's board and the workers, who support people with developmental disabilities, ratified a new collective agreement on Oct. 2.
According to OPSEU, the Memorandum of Settlement stated that "Retroactive pay adjustments shall be paid no later than 30 days from the date of ratification."
Silvana Cacciatore, the president of OPSEU local 738, says that deadline has come and gone.
In a statement to tbnewswatch.com, Cacciatore said that on Oct. 31, the day before the retro pay was to be paid, the union received an email from management that said "The Ministry still has not come through with the funding for the retro. Unfortunately, with the current deficit which continues to grow, we are unable to pay the retro out until the Ministry flows us the cash."
Cacciatore said that when the Ministry of Community and Social Services was questioned about this, "their direction is to deal with the Employer."
She added that during contract bargaining, management had stated "The Board has directed this portion of the settlement to come from reserves. This is not Ministry funded."
Cacciatore said her membership is frustrated and upset "as no one is taking responsibility to pay out what is rightfully owed to them."
Avenue II's executive-director, Suzann Doherty, said in an email to tbnewswatch.com on Friday that "the workers will receive their retroactive pay once we receive it from our funder. The Union was advised of that last week and have been kept up to date on the situation since it became apparent the funding was not coming in time for the due date."
