Community Visits and Connections

 

 

At the end of January, I was pleased to visit Ottawa and meet with many Karis employees there, as well as some of the people who use our services. In fact, Steven and I, at the Community Participation Supports on Carling Ave realized we had shopped at the same place! That was after my visit with Noxa, Adeniji, and Adekunle at Fisher.

 

While I was there, we received notice from the United Food and Commercial Workers International Union – Local 175, that they had applied to represent our employees in their relationship with Karis.

 

Fast forward to the next week, and our Ottawa employees voted to be represented by this union. In the time between the notification and the vote (5 days), we had a lot of conversations with employees, listening to their concerns and challenges. It’s clear that they love the vision of Karis, helping people in their lives and toward belonging. It’s also clear that there is a gap in their relationship with Karis.

 

In the 5-day period, there are significant restrictions imposed by the Ontario Labour Relations Act as to what Karis can and cannot say or do. So, we listened, but given the legislation we couldn’t promise or make changes within that week.

 

Frankly, we should have been listening better prior to the notice of certification, because then we could have responded. In Ottawa and Kingston, Stefan Thomas, as the new Executive Director, visited every program location in each quarter of 2024. Even though the primary relationship for connection for Direct Support Professionals (DSP) is with their Program Manager or Team Lead (PM, TL), Stefan was working hard to listen well. One thing we heard in many communities was that DSPs considered that their PMs and TLs were too busy, so often they didn’t want to burden them with their concerns.

 

We also have the Employee Engagement Representatives (EERs) to help us connect and listen better as an organization. Jennifer Gleva and I meet together with them multiple times each year. But, even the EERs are a supplemental means of connection. As DSPs, your primary connection is with your PM and TL.

 

Why am I telling you this?

 

Because I want you to bring your concerns forward. I want you to contact your PM or TL. Please, don’t wait. It is true – everyone is busy, and everyone seems to feel like there is not enough time. But the most important aspect of the PM and TL job is to connect with you, as DSPs, to ensure you are equipped with what you need to support people. Whether you are in a collective bargaining unit or not, this is the main job of a PM and TL, and we want to ensure you have what you need as you help people each day at work.

 

“But, Dwayne,” you might be thinking, “my manager is too busy.”

 

If your PM or TL isn’t available, then contact your Area Manager. If they don’t respond, then contact your Executive Director. And if they don’t reply, then contact me (dmilley@karis.org and 647-204-7914). The EERs are also available to you.

 

“It shouldn’t be that hard,” you may be thinking. I’m thinking the same thing. We can’t let ‘busyness’ get the better of us.

 

So, for those of you who are not in a collective bargaining unit, don’t wait until we get a Notice of Certification to tell us your challenges and concerns. If you have challenges or concerns, please reach out now. For those of you in collective bargaining units, we still want to be able to act, though the Collective Agreements will outline how we act in some activities. For both of you, we won’t know the issues if we aren’t connecting.

 

Since my visit to Ottawa, I’ve been able to visit with employees in Cobourg, Kingston, and Orillia. In the weeks and months ahead, I hope to visit more and more people throughout Saskatchewan and Ontario. Already, in the four communities I’ve visited this year, I’m so encouraged by the support that you, as employees, provide to the people who use our services.

 

I look forward to connecting with more of you, because together, we are helping people with disabilities belong to communities in which their God-given gifts are valued and celebrated.

 

Sincerely,

 

Dwayne Milley, Vice President of Operations

647-204-7914