BURNABY—Community social service workers make a difference in our communities – every day. November 6, 2010, is an opportunity to stop and say thank you for that important work as communities across Canada celebrate Community Social Services Appreciation Day.
CSS workers provide the supports and frontline services that maintain our social safety net. They are the people who are in daily and direct contact with children, people living with disabilities, homeless people, those with addictions, new Canadians, families in crisis, women experiencing abuse and others facing traumatic situations.
This is extremely valuable work and deserves our respect. That means good wages, pensions and benefits that recognize that the services they deliver are critically important to the quality of life of the people they care for and work with.
Too often these critical programs are underfunded by our governments. We will continue to call on governments at every level to strengthen our social safety net rather than consistently starving the very services for which demand keeps rising. The federal government must show leadership and restore funding for social services, ensure accountability for how the funds are spent and work with the provinces to develop a national human resources strategy for community social services.
CUPE BC is proud to support this day of appreciation.
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