08/22/2026
Dear CLSM Community,
I am disappointed to share that OPSEU employees remain on strike. CLSM did meet with OPSEU in a mediated session last Sunday, and we remain in conversation. As we enter the 14th week of the strike, tensions are bound to be high and the community has many questions about why CLSM and OPSEU have not yet reached an agreement. In the interest of full transparency, I want everyone to understand a few points, which I have outlined here and below.
๐๐ฐ๐ณ ๐ง๐ถ๐ณ๐ต๐ฉ๐ฆ๐ณ ๐ช๐ฏ๐ง๐ฐ๐ณ๐ฎ๐ข๐ต๐ช๐ฐ๐ฏ ๐ณ๐ฆ๐จ๐ข๐ณ๐ฅ๐ช๐ฏ๐จ ๐ต๐ฉ๐ฆ ๐ญ๐ข๐ต๐ฆ๐ด๐ต ๐ฐ๐ง๐ง๐ฆ๐ณ: www.clsm.on.ca
๐๐ก๐ ๐ฌ๐ฎ๐ฆ๐ฆ๐๐ซ๐ฒ ๐จ๐ ๐ญ๐ก๐๐ฌ๐ ๐ฉ๐จ๐ข๐ง๐ญ๐ฌ ๐ข๐ฌ ๐ญ๐ก๐ข๐ฌ: CLSM cares deeply about both the people we serve and our employees. We value the essential work of our employees and want to see them return to the supporting the people they care about. We are at a standstill in this strike because CLSM simply cannot afford OPSEUโs demands without significant cuts to services and staff. The budget of each Community Living agency is unique โ it is not productive to compare deals reached by other agencies. Further, despite consistent advocacy to government over the years, we have no indication of additional funding at this time.
I hope you will read our full communication to better understand our position and the empathy we feel for all involved.
Thank you for your understanding,
Krista and the CLSM Leadership
๐๐ ๐ฏ๐๐ฅ๐ฎ๐ ๐จ๐ฎ๐ซ ๐๐ฆ๐ฉ๐ฅ๐จ๐ฒ๐๐๐ฌ:
โข CLSM, including the CEO, the senior leadership, and the Board, care deeply about both the people we serve and our staff.
โข We value our staff and the essential work they do; we want to see everyone return to work and have no interest in dragging the strike out longer than necessary.
โข We absolutely respect our staffโs right to strike.
โข We understand the disappointment staff feel that replacement workers are working in group homes. The people we serve live in these homes and have essential needs that must be met. We have no other choice than to use replacement workers to ensure these homes continue to function and services are maintained.
๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐ง๐ง๐จ๐ญ ๐๐๐๐จ๐ซ๐ ๐ ๐ก๐ข๐ ๐ก๐๐ซ ๐จ๐๐๐๐ซ ๐ฐ๐ข๐ญ๐ก๐จ๐ฎ๐ญ ๐ฌ๐ข๐ ๐ง๐ข๐๐ข๐๐๐ง๐ญ ๐๐ฎ๐ญ๐ฌ ๐ญ๐จ ๐ฌ๐๐ซ๐ฏ๐ข๐๐๐ฌ ๐๐ง๐ ๐ฌ๐ญ๐๐๐:
โข CLSM has negotiated in good faith since conversations with OPSEU began in 2024.
โข We have significantly raised our offer during the strike, while OPSEU has made very little movement on their side.
โข The current offer on the table, which we have transparently shared here, is already a financial stretch and will require cuts to make viable.
https://www.clsm.on.ca/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/Communication-Aug16-2026_1.png
โข The current offer includes retroactive pay covering the period of April 1, 2024, to May 25th, 2026.
โข CLSM is a government-funded not-for-profit; our board cannot approve a budget that puts us at a deficit that is not sustainable.
โข Any higher offer would require further cuts to services and staff.
๐๐จ๐ฆ๐ฆ๐ฎ๐ง๐ข๐ญ๐ฒ ๐๐ข๐ฏ๐ข๐ง๐ ๐๐ ๐๐ง๐๐ข๐๐ฌ ๐ก๐๐ฏ๐ ๐๐ข๐๐๐๐ซ๐๐ง๐ญ ๐๐ข๐ง๐๐ง๐๐ข๐๐ฅ ๐ซ๐๐๐ฅ๐ข๐ญ๐ข๐๐ฌ:
โข The budget of each Community Living agency is unique, based on a variety of factors including current salary levels (which are not standardized), funding streams, service offerings, size, and employee composition.
โข It is not productive to compare deals reached by other agencies, as what is affordable for one may not be for another.
โข Community Living agencies are required to bargain directly with their Union Locals; we have no mechanism to enter into joint bargaining with other regions, nor with the government.
CLSM has consistently advocated for additional government funding:
โข Community Living agencies have banded together for many years to advocate for increased provincial funding. We have initiated multiple campaigns, such as 5 to Survive and .
โข In 2025 alone, CEO met personally met with our MPP and made written and in-person submissions during the Pre-Budget Consultation process.
โข Since the strike began, CEO has again met with both our MPP and our MCCSS Regional Director.
โข Supported by advocacy efforts by employers, Developmental Service Workers did receive a permanent, $3 per hour wage increase during the Bill 124 period. If OPSEU Local 305 accepts CLSMโs current offer, the total increase for CLSM employees is an average of 29% from 2021 to 2028. This is a substantial, previously unheard-of increase for the Developmental Services Sector.
โข Unfortunately, at this time we have no indication of additional government funding, just as we did not when the strike began.
Thank you,
Krista Haiduk-Coller
Chief Executive Officer
