response to San Watts CEO of Mission Bonne Accueil

During a press conference on Thursday 29 October, the general manager of Mission Bon Accueil, Sam Watts, answered roughly this to a reporter asking how the community was going to resist the second wave if its workers are already out of breath : "Yes, but not without difficulty. (…) Certainly there are people who are exhausted and I try as much as possible with all my colleagues and other CEOs to encourage our world (…). I think we would be able to get through it (community workers) very resilient people. So I have a lot of confidence. »

To her only, this quote sums up well what many organizations in Montreal have been going through for a long time, But even more violently since the start of the pandemic, namely ignorance totality of the reality on the ground by directors and councils administration.. This reality is present in organizations such as large shelters, Accueil Bonneau or boxes in harm reduction.

In the field, many workers with whom we have a relationship are distraught at the scale of the task. How to make the helping relationship with distancing measures while proximity is at the heart of the community approach ? How to get to work without being discouraged knowing full well that the measures put in place are without consultation teams ? How to feel valued in your work without a bonus, without significant and continuous recognition of the work accomplished since the beginning of pandemic and with tasks that have often become more burdensome and more complex ? These are unfortunately questions that many workers ask themselves and workers who, long before the current health crisis, were already working with overload, very few resources and recognition. They and they therefore find themselves stripped of the means and hope for the future. Burnout can quickly become the only way out, but it is far from being soothing, we know it !

Since the start of this pandemic, no employer coalition demanding better working conditions has seen during the day in the community. However, the latter claim to support and encourage their workers. Except that words have their limit and people in the field, i.e. workers of street, pair.es aidant.es, psychosocial workers and staff administrative, have had enough of these empty words and want real support. We are exhausted by the overload of work, lack of support clinical, and precarious working conditions. We are sick of the DGs who take pleasure in a community that is fueled by vocation.

We understand that the directions and members of C.A, who increasingly come from the business community, prioritize their personal interests, as bosses have always done of capitalist companies. In this sense, they take no risk, any radical political action to get the community environment out of its precariousness. They seem to be very comfortable in their managerial posture, ignoring needs of their employees.

We understand that these organizations adopt more of a management method stuck to private enterprise that resonates in these times of pandemic.

We understand that the directions and members of C.A are increasingly disconnected from the reality on the ground and needs not only of workers, but those of people attending services.

We realize that our bosses talk, speak and speak without taking concrete actions to improve our working conditions. They don't have a speech problem, we recognize their great talent to make us believe that they are with us, but their inaction is shameful for the leaders that they and they pretend to be.

Short, with their nicknames encouragement, these directions only demonstrate impertinence for us all, Workers, to wait for them to take the steps to improve our working conditions. It's up to us to take control of our workplaces as workers and community workers and kick out our bosses, bosses.

#FuckTesEncouragementsSamPisTaGangDePDG

*The description of Monsieur Watts on the Mission Bon accueil website: "Sam joined Welcome Hall Mission as of general manager in 2016. He shares with the team his vast experience in leading teams and coaching leaders in a variety of contexts. His colleagues describe him as a visionary leader, focused on creation an environment conducive to innovation and the implementation of new ideas ”.

In short, "Sam" is a boss from the middle Business.

Text written by activists working in the community