,

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

Special May 1: Le Communautaire Inc.

May 1 reflection 2020 on the rise of entrepreneurial management in the community environment and its consequences

The mechanisms specific to entrepreneurial management seem to plague the community environment that seemed to us not so long ago by and for the community, but also sheltered from the entrepreneurial ideology. This is at least the case in several harm reduction organizations in Montreal or in large clubs such as Accueil Bonneau and large shelters..

I. A language game

First, a whole new discourse takes the place of ordinary language, the language of « sir madam everyone » which reflected the authentic and popular character of this environment. Since then, workers hear terms that were until recently unknown. The words « governance », « management decision », « profitability of our practices », « statistics », « Accountability », « financial planning and strategy », « philanthropy », "Internal investigation" flowed into the mouths of certain organizational departments. The latter borrow the discourse of public funders where managerial management has long taken possession of the state institutions that they are above all., but also the Centraides of this world. But these funding rules imposed by the state and the foundations that make the subsidies very difficult to obtain, oblige the organizations to flirt with the private. We want to make our missions social sexy so that money is attracted there. Managers will thus play entrepreneurs to sell their mission. Play their game, it is certainly using their language, but also use their advertising methods. In the Montreal metro, right next to a Calvin Klein ad, organizations In the street, Rézo or the Father's House will seek to attract the attention of the public so that they buy a conscience by giving them funds. In other words, we sell good conscience : « If you give, you do your part for the most vulnerable ». This good conscience is a product like any other : when we buy it, we are relieved for a while.

Hear me well : the problem is not to talk about your cause or to ask for funds,

but to use the same language and the same methods as private companies to achieve this end. By consciously playing (or sometimes despite themselves) the game of private enterprise, organizations lose some of their community spirit.

II. Mental load

Who does not feel completely insignificant and of little use in the face of accounts imposed from everywhere ? In addition to advocating an entrepreneurial language, funders impose such rigid criteria on organizations that there is no room for your own creativity. Here, we can no longer be satisfied with accompanying, we must also count, to justify, reports.

Harm reduction workers know a thing or two about it. Each intervention must be monitored and sent to the Montreal Regional Public Health Department. : initials, Date of Birth, gender identity and neighborhood where the person lives are information requested just before noting the prevention material that has been distributed and the type of intervention carried out. Some, some of these workers are also called upon to write as detailed reports as possible to renew funding every year. So, their use depends on their own ability to make clear and precise the qualitative and quantitative data collected during the last year.

In addition to the feeling of helplessness inherent in caregivers and peer helpers who are returning from a difficult day, the latter carry with them the marks left by the stories of suffering of people encountered at work. These brands come to mind randomly : « I hope it is correct » « have I been too direct with her », « is she in danger tonight », « will he do an O.D ? » « did I support him well », « I should have said that instead of that ». These questions and worries are the tasks we bring home after work. These are nothing less than externalities specific to the helping relationship.

In short, the mental load follows them everywhere and is added to the sometimes disproportionate expectations of donors. We wish these workers to have enough psychotropic drugs and alcohol to clear their minds when they come back home, because beyond

feeling of helplessness and questions that eat into the mind, there are the worries of ordinary people's lives.

III. Stewardship

On the issue of accountability, these directorates can always defend themselves by saying that they have no other choice but to respect these criteria imposed by the donors. Except that the temptation is too strong and the general maxim « power corrupts » does not ignore the community environment. Relations between management teams and floor teams are blackened by this tendency to use tools specific to the private enterprise. One of these tools is the disciplinary notice used to reprimand, correct employee behavior and it is used more and more in the circles I mentioned in the introduction. In a harm reduction resource in the center-south, management will use a computerized register to monitor the entries of its employees in order to distribute disciplinary notices to those who arrive a few minutes late.

A few streets away, workers are threatened by telling them that they expose themselves to sanctions if protocols related to Covid-19 are not followed. The role of a threat is to bind the person who uses it to the person who receives it, which leaves the latter waiting to suffer retaliation. Finally, what characterizes this tool, it is that it does not allow an egalitarian dialogue which is nevertheless an essential part of human relations in the community environment. On Punit, bar point.

A second tool is the employee file.. The latter seems at first glance harmless, but it allows management to document a wide range of information on workers and possibly use it to identify those who are likely to lack loyalty to the organization. We compile all kinds of data ranging from what is in your CV to your actions or behaviors. The annual assessment is an example of what has been compiled on you…

IV. Clinical support

So much energy is put on the appearance of organizations and their respective reputations that

this is done to the detriment of support and clinical support for work teams. We will see an organization director and coordinators systematically trivialize what workers are experiencing : « You have to have your shell to work here », « the user must be in pain for him to physically attack you », « you have to get used to it, our users are men, it's normal that you do cruiser », are phrases that have been heard several times in a big box of Montreal. Here, the user is the customer and he is the king. Of course, the quality of services (term specific to entrepreneurial discourse by the way ...) is important, but it should not be done unconditionally. Those who are on the ground know it : health, the safety and clinical support of workers is essential for assistance to be quality. Sadly, more and more emphasis is placed on image and customer service rather than on the needs of community workers.

« Anyway, we will change you when you get burnt », « we are cannon fodder », are speeches that I have heard from several desperate comrades.. But still, in front of all kinds of psychological or physical violence experienced on the floor, we will offer less and less clinical support on the pretext that it is an individual responsibility to take care of oneself, to have a clean lifestyle. Sometimes, supervisions are offered by coordinations, but considering the rise of managerial management, we are more and more fearful and fearful to reveal ourselves to our « frames ». Formerly, proximity to coordination and management made it possible to report to them the difficulties encountered at work, but reality is changing and there is little space to express what we feel and experience on a daily basis.

V. A new class of manager

What most violently embodies managerial management in organizations is precisely the absence of management and certain coordination on the work floor which certainly has negative consequences on the support provided to workers. We don't see them less and less. Busy filling out funding requests, flirt with the business community, to take stock, compile data in employee files or talk to the media about such social issue, they now embody « a new class of community managers » will see one of my comrades.

It is appropriate here to quote the analysis of another comrade on this new emerging class in the community :

And this new class of managers is not fleeting, rather it tends to grow bigger and become the norm. Why? On the one hand, because the current method of funding organizations increases the administrative and managerial "needs" of organizations. Rather than funding the mission and therefore trusting floor workers to adapt services as needed, we have been financing piecemeal for years, therefore to the project. This obviously leads to the famous precariousness experienced by many comrades, but it also has the perverse effect that it feeds these management "needs". In this way, we end up with organizations where the number of executives is disproportionate to the number of interveners. And this class of managers, frankly useless to the real needs of the field, may well complain softly about this bureaucratic system, she takes advantage all the same.

WE. What to do ?

Faced with this dramatic situation for the community sector, workers also appropriate a discourse. However, this speech is more political. They realize that their organization leadership does not share « their class interests » and that it is necessary « s’organiser ». But the battle will be fought on two fronts. In the first place, it is necessary « Wrestle » against funders and their contempt for community workers, which is expressed through the crumbs they give to organizations. Secondly, it is necessary « resist » managerial management in our boxes by getting organized and claiming better working conditions, but also the self-management of our environments. Finally, this political discourse must be accompanied by collective and political actions.

And if for this very special May Day, banners were dropped all over the city to signify our resistance to this ideological change in the community ? It would already be a start !

And you, do you have any other ideas of resistance ?

A social worker inspired by numerous discussions with his comrades

,

Covid-19: Community without plexiglass

If you've taken the Montreal metro in recent days, many of you are a proletarian. You are a cook, cashier, attendant. to the interview, manufacturer, packer, clerk, waiter/waitress in a waiter/waitress in a, short, waiter/waitress in a. waiter/waitress in a, or, waiter/waitress in a, waiter/waitress in a, waiter/waitress in a. waiter/waitress in a.

waiter/waitress in a, waiter/waitress in a, waiter/waitress in a, waiter/waitress in a waiter/waitress in a, waiter/waitress in a, waiter/waitress in a, collateral damage from this pandemic which particularly affects people using our services.

collateral damage from this pandemic which particularly affects people using our services. First, collateral damage from this pandemic which particularly affects people using our services. collateral damage from this pandemic which particularly affects people using our services, collateral damage from this pandemic which particularly affects people using our services, collateral damage from this pandemic which particularly affects people using our services. collateral damage from this pandemic which particularly affects people using our services. Homeless people are asked to self-isolate, Homeless people are asked to self-isolate, Homeless people are asked to self-isolate, Homeless people are asked to self-isolate, Homeless people are asked to self-isolate. Homeless people are asked to self-isolate.

Homeless people are asked to self-isolate, workers and community workers, Homeless people are asked to self-isolate (Homeless people are asked to self-isolate) Homeless people are asked to self-isolate. Homeless people are asked to self-isolate. Homeless people are asked to self-isolate cheap labor Homeless people are asked to self-isolate, Homeless people are asked to self-isolate. Homeless people are asked to self-isolate, it is even more obvious.

it is even more obvious, And this, it is even more obvious. it is even more obvious, it is even more obvious, it is even more obvious. it is even more obvious, it is even more obvious, it is even more obvious. it is even more obvious. it is even more obvious, it is even more obvious.

it is even more obvious. it is even more obvious, taking risks to get food on the shelves or to get someone to a safe place to inject. taking risks to get food on the shelves or to get someone to a safe place to inject. taking risks to get food on the shelves or to get someone to a safe place to inject.

taking risks to get food on the shelves or to get someone to a safe place to inject, taking risks to get food on the shelves or to get someone to a safe place to inject, workers and community workers, taking risks to get food on the shelves or to get someone to a safe place to inject.

taking risks to get food on the shelves or to get someone to a safe place to inject, taking risks to get food on the shelves or to get someone to a safe place to inject, taking risks to get food on the shelves or to get someone to a safe place to inject, of course.

Members of the SITT-IWW Community Workers Union.

Photo credit: Cedric Martin

When will strike?

With the International Day of Workers which is nearby, I started thinking about my job, society in general, a little while. Worse things go wrong in shop, looks like another.

 

Social inequalities explode for years. Our wages stagnate while our rents are rising constantly. Go to a grocery store or pay the hydro bill is more an accounting period. Patrons and CEO, them, give themselves big bonuses and often even the money the state takes from our pockets to save their ass. The environment, his, during that time, continues to make good slaps to satisfy rich track Industries shareholders (U.S) disappear. Our rights as workers, it notes the willingness of courts, almost always there to make life beautiful for our boss. And to make sure to have a nice social atmosphere, add to this racist policy that only divide us while we are impoverishing.

 

At least macro scale, it's been a few years that I am involved and I must say that I find it difficult. Not so much the job, because I deeply love the people I coach and I work with. But it is difficult to see these people, my colleagues like e-s-participant our organization, duty to struggle against a system of increasingly violent attempt to get services or enforce rights that we are supposed to be acquired. It's tough to see more and more people into poverty while we are asked to fill statistical and respond to thick bureaucratic expectations. And rough to see my colleagues (and myself) burning at both ends to try to compensate with crumbs for a state that has nothing providential.

 

But it is not as isolated-e-s as you think. If my colleagues and myself is the feel we heading straight toward a wall, that means we are not alone-e-s to have ras-le-bol. Worse it forces me to think. It forces me to think that I can wait after my coordos my direction and collaborator who tell me to shut up, there is nothing to do, while they are managing it, Community. As said a comrade, we can not afford to have blurred class. Plus, it forces me to do a portrait of the situation and to wonder where we are going in general, as a society.

 

So, collectively, what do we do to stop these attacks? What can we do to not only stop eating the fly, but to get what is rightfully ours, either better living conditions worse the last word on how it is rolled, this society? How to use our best weapon, or solidarity?

 

My answer is this : a complete shutdown of the machine (and all smaller), to bend the government and our boss, try the general strike.

 

And I fantasizing too (I hope). In 2014, several groups, including the IWW and community groups, including the Coalition Red Hand, called for a general strike on May 1 2015. For one year, activist-e-s of the IWW and community groups have organized meetings, multiplied times when to meet to work together and prepare for a day of general strike. Many student associations and some unions, including education, followed suit. The context lent itself well : the public sector fell by negotiation and cutbacks were the common enemy. The word "austerity" has been on the map.

 

The current context differences and similarities. always subject to the same policies that favor the class of bosses. There is a new provincial government in, which continues to set foot in the flat and was quick to show his contempt for workers (we only think of Legault words about the lockout ABI, a boss it's still a boss).

 

Next year, the public sector is back in negotiation. Nurses have demonstrated for over a year their widespread disgust. The CAQ s'attaque enseignant aux-and-s, whether through his bill on religious symbols or their obsession with creating nursery 4 years, while there is a glaring lack of staff to fill these future positions, as undesired or election promise. Student associations have changed, but the movement for internship remuneration of talk.

 

But OK, for a general strike, must the world to launch the ball. worse especially, have a more combative speech and more inclusive than the unions, always ready to address to keep social peace.

 

No one is boasting, I think we can agree that workers and activists of the Community have proven more than once their ability to brew and shit (he) mobilize. Despite the elephant what the public and the attention he held during negotiations, Community could well launch a call to action for a strike in the community and thereby invite its allies in organized labor and students to do the same. Especially as nurses and teachers also seem disgusted their conditions, there would be beautiful alliances on standalone basis to.

 

The Red Hand Coalition and the Coalition of May 1 2015 had demonstrated their ability to join different groups and create links 2014-2015. These same groups once mobilized opted for actions within their means. Illegal strikes in more than ten colleges, disruption of economic activities in certain regions, Student strikes, of transport routes blocked; ministerial office occupations by one, demonstrations and there, what a general strike.

 

There is no magic formula to mobilize or obtain earnings. I do not claim to have a perfect game plan, others have better analysis and surely know best how the strongest could spank. But I am a community worker and union activist sickened, worse when I look exhausted colleagues, the burn outs that build worst in the world in general snatch more, I can not help but wonder, in 2020, in community, it is triggered when the strike?

 

Solidarity,

A member of the Community Committee of the IWW Montreal.

Mission Accomplished in precarious Community of show

The Show precarious Community, what a beautiful evening of solidarity that was for us, members of Union workers and community workers!

 

As union "by and for", we do not have the financial means to an employers' group, consequently, the stands to speak are not common. In fact, for speech, we can not expect that we tend, we must take. It is in this light that we wanted that runs the show and that's why we wanted to take the microphone to people, organizations and artists like us.

 

To express our disgust, our tiredness, our rage and our solidarity with comrades before and, it is a privilege. denouncing underfunding affects us, we burned, conditions that undermine our work, the threats of donors like Centraide put pressure on groups defending rights like the Public Organization of Social Rights of Greater Montreal (OPDS-RM), sexism social net, while laughing and listening to peers and colleagues perform on stage, That is why we organized this show.

 

And we could not have hoped for better reception, so many people. It was for us a success!


A bit of humour


The Community precarious the show began with the solid performance of Colin, the son of Christian Vanasse, that seemed 20 years of experience to give to public shows. Precarious community were able to discover the next prodigy of Quebec humor. Then it is the father who made his entrance by chaining jokes against people who exploit us and contradictions that capitalism imposes on our lives. Thereafter came the two leftist par excellence of the Quebec humor : Colin Boudrias and Fred Dube. Colin gave us several jokes of his political repertoire, including that on the false veganism. While qu'Anarcho-teasing (Fred) We had arrived with his jokes and anti-capitalist activists of the extreme left. Finally, Catherine Ethier ébloui.e.s us again its incredible verve questioning several problems of our society.

 

 

After humorists, for the music!

The duo Acoustic Assonance, accompanied by their daughter, we offered a breathtaking performance! The choice of songs, sweet and melancholic, sung by the rousing voice Izabelle has conquered the room and after laughing a bit, bring us into melancholy of this work and this struggle of ours. Assonance Acoustic then made up the Union Thugs, who launched their part with a heartfelt speech about the injustices that plague the business for too long.

 

 

As approval, spectators and spectators quickly abandoned their seats to sing in heart Heroes and Martyrs, a resumption of Parisian band Brigada Flores Magon that honors all the men and women in combat mort.es. If the end of the concert was trying for their guitarist who turned 25 years and seen so each song be interrupted by a new round of shooters led by its ami.es, for many and many in the room resumed I Am the Son of Corrigan Fest finished setting the table for the punk of The Awkwerz. Person arriving in the middle of the afternoon could not have imagined that the small bar of Stand-Bars would be transformed into a dance floor for a frenzied trash just hours later! Geneviève a, like always, was first order frontwoman. Spitting his words and occupying the front of the stage with an unparalleled presence that night at Building 7, the perfect recipe for a perfect community precarious show was officially completed and we can say : Mission accomplished!

 

All funds raised during the evening were donated to L’OPDS-RM.

Solidarity forever!

unionism, Community and Retreat

Day after the International Day of Workers

The 2 May, a day of reflection on the working conditions in the Community was organized by organisms at the bottom of the ladder, the popular Training Center and the sectoral grouping of community organizations in Montreal (RIOCM).

We were three members of the Community Committee of the IWW Montreal to attend. It was an interesting day and well organized. There was material to brainstorm ideas with more than a hundred people. Congratulations to the transition to the organization. Several proposals have been put forward; we will mention some, explaining the pros and cons, and issuing certain criticisms we hope constructive.

 

Context

Three workshops framed discussions : labor conditions, the work-life and the workplace. The issues raised were mainly lack of funding (mostly), overwork, les burnouts, the large staff turnover, martyr culture, the few links of e-s-employee with their board, sexism in the workplace, la bureaucratisation, project funding (and thus insecurity), etc.

Those are, in sum, problems that most of us who work in the community and have already seen weighing on our shoulders every day.

Before moving forward, an aside is necessary to explain the context of discussions. We said, a hundred people were present. However the majority of these people were either in leadership positions, coordination with a power of hiring and dismissal or board member of directors. That is to say that we were talking about our working conditions with boss. Bosses obviously conscious of their employee-e-s (and suffer themselves and themselves some of the issues discussed), but the boss still. And the discussions were tinted.

Also, to be clear : reflections and critical that we bring here are ours, those unionists.

 

Calling versus employment

Several people mentioned : there is a culture of martyrdom in community organizations. That of not including overtime, to accept the often precarious conditions, And this, just because our work is a care. We work with the world of precarious and often messed up, our work is essential. Somewhat the same speech that is served to nurses and called women's jobs. A random? Probably not. It is often also said that the EU is a work '' militant ''. The boundary between work and activism is not always clear. It is common to see people overwork at work on this basis, that '' because '' is worth a couple of unpaid overtime!

Interesting proposals have emerged. Deconstructing this speech first. Explain the nature of our jobs, to denounce these situations overwork, just as the health care workers have for months with strength, either via public texts or videos. Refusing to do more (with less means).

An expression is however emerged repeatedly from the mouth of managers or directors of organizations, is the need to "educate their employee-s in overtime". Manner of providing the fault of overtime on the shoulders of the employee-s, but neither on directions or the structure of organizations, and even less on donors. If employers accept imposed performance requirements donors, knowing we often "low staff", it is inconsistent to require e-s-employee to provide the same services, but in less time.

 

Funding, bureaucracy and paperwork

Sure, the main issue remains : under-funding and project funding. Some people have raised the possibility of pressuring the political parties in the context of election campaigns. Trying again to strike the Community, perhaps with clearer objectives and decentralized than the aborted 7 February. And look more broadly and talk more. But above all to mobilize the very foundations of organizations : either the employee-e-s!

[On this subject, a personal story and a parallel with the Retreat : nowadays, very little employee-s organizations with a health mandate and social services (Such prevention of STIs) I talk to had heard of this missed strike 7 February. As few of my colleagues intervention had heard of this day of reflection on our working conditions. Visibly, if these are the coordos directions or who receive an invitation to talk about workplace conditions, there is little chance of that is transmitted to the employee-s. Imagine then speak to strike ...]

In terms of insecurity issues related to project funding rather than mission, few solutions have been put forward, Furthermore to make a strike Claim. We have mentioned a few times to tackle some private donors such as the United, who actively participate in the entrepreneurial culture, but no one picked up the ball, which in itself speaks volumes about the lack of analysis we have our own "industry" working.

 

Be heard as workers

An announcement was made, namely that a national association and workers Community workers would be created in the coming months. Few details were unveiled. As the creation of meeting has not taken place, it is difficult to say what its mandate, but we suspect that this will be our rights, to demand better funding, etc.

By asking a few questions in the following weeks to people involved in its creation, we have some, or concerns, but the project still interests us.

Already, have a space where propose actions, where share and talk about our working conditions is interesting in itself. Can come together is almost a luxury, considering all the tasks and we weigh. This will definitely be a project in which it may organize actions on trades that we.

However, some concerns remain. First, that will be part? Will be qualified-e-s Workers people who have hiring and dismissal powers within our bodies? Suppose we begin to talk about organizing, are we going to face an internal group that fiercely oppose it? Or simply to speak of self-management, internal conflicts, power relations within our bodies ... Will speak are we working conditions or just general underfunding? The question is valid.

 

Trade union solidarity and self-management

Sure, we preached for several solutions like us. Against some reluctance to join unions under a traditional model, we talked about putting forward a solidarity unionism. Namely mobilize, We base, by and for ourselves, so not only talk about underfunding, but also to bring up to date the self in community organizations in which we work. But also to be able to address issues such as harassment, the employee-s reports versus directions / boards, etc. This is why our trade unionism is voluntary, to enable people to be heard according to their needs.

We mentioned the importance of not remain impassive when an organization is cut. And I believe that this goal remains for us one of our key mandates : asserting solidarity among people working in the Community. Because it is together that we have a balance of power and that we can protect our bodies.

 

Conclusion

in short, it was an interesting meeting. We hope it will not be an isolated exercise, and it will be followed by a more general and broader. Organizations that have started organized something important, we hope it continues and that it be given suites.

The meeting was after all the Community Image : we are well aware of the problems we are experiencing, we have a good idea of ​​the solutions within our reach, but taking action is unclear, or uncertain.

Anyway, our side, we will provide all the help we can in our midst colleagues, and we invite them to contact us. The more we are many and many, more our voice will.

 

An injury to one, an injury to all!

 

Members of the union workers and community workers.

poor record

The RQ-ACA and the fight

In recent years, le RQ-ACA (Quebec Independent Community Action Network) and its regional fronts are the channels through which community groups in the Autonomous Community Action (HERE) bearing claims on funding and recognition deal with different levels of government, through the campaign "Commit yourself to the community".

 

The criteria to be part of community action groups are : be a non-profit organization, rooted in the community, have an associative and democratic life, and have the freedom to determine its mission, its approaches, practices and guidelines. To be qualified as independent, we add that it must have been formed at the initiative of the people in the community, pursuing a social mission of its own and promotes social transformation, having an approach based on the totality of the problem addressed and be led by an independent CA public network. In our groups, it is usually to our members, militant.e.s and / or users-using and we are accountable.

 

ACA gathers groups working on very diverse axes : women, LGBTQ, defense rights, Harm reduction, popular education, family associations, Hosting Resources, international cooperation, ecology, etc. Assemblies are held periodically, by region, so members are involved in developing the outline of the action plan that will define the national struggle.

 

Among the means used, include poster campaigns, distribution of stickers "I support the Community ', press conferences, publication of texts, representations to various bodies, manifestations, actions "disturbing" and finally strike, like the aborted 7 February.

 

The worn speech is roughly as follows : the state must reinvest in the community so that we can accomplish our mission and maintain (or increase) our services, suites historical struggles, we managed several gains that we want to save what is now an acquired.

 

The (lack of) Community funding

In recent decades, we see a change in the state funding. Private foundations are playing an increasingly important and bring with them the performance requirements and efficiency, short do more with less. In the best known, there Way, Chagnon Foundation, etc. These give the funding requested by their vis-à-vis the mission judgment, Services, activity reports, etc. These donors require specific account yields qualitatively and quantitatively. In survival mode, Community has no choice but to turn to these donors for survival. And in spite of ourselves, sometimes, it must distort our missions and mandates to meet the funding criteria. The state also seem increasingly inclined to do so in the allocation of funds.

 

The ACA groups are important and worthy of funding, but are not the only elements of the Community. Several salarié.e.s Community must both cope with precarious funding, and their tutelage under external bodies (CIUSS/CLSC, YMCA, foundations, hospitals, etc.). This is the case of aidant.e.s pair.e.s are considéré.e.s as part of a specific project under supervision and are then envoyé.e.s in various groups, but are not always treated equally face permanent.e.s intervenant.e.s of these organizations.

 

The fight is personal

Work in the Community is, for many of us, much more than a job, it is a vocation. Nonetheless concretely, un.e salarié.e occupying the same function in a government resource, or even in the private has much better conditions. Our vocation is it leave us in poverty?

 

Who among us, Workers, volunteers and community militant.e.s, has not seen colleagues or comrades in from burnout? Who does not know quelqu'un.e who saw his position abolished or cut hours for lack of funding? How are we jumping from contract to contract and end up chronically unemployed? How many CA work or teams have had to make difficult choices as that of maintaining a position or cut in insurance, pensions and / or other benefits? And we pass by! That's the reality we chatter between workers of the community.

 

There seems to be treading water for years, and our struggles are fragmented. Everyone is trying to pull a piece of cover on their side hoping to make giving back a portion of the amount that has been cut, or see our funding be indexed. As soon as it receives a portion of what it hoped, it withdraws from fight. Efforts our state donors are not living up to our potential. From year to year, the same strategies are repeated : representations to various bodies, petition and letter, and a very symbolic temporary occupation of a lobby government offices or large financial players.

 

Funding for our groups must not only enable us to continue our activities, it should allow wages and viable conditions for everyone. Often agencies must draw on their funds to adequately pay salarié.e.s engagé.e.s for a temporary project. It lasted quite. We can not bear any longer to be the cheap labor of the State in social services. Our donors can perhaps muzzle our groups, organizations and projects, but they can not muzzle workers who wear them at arms. Join the Union of Workers of the Community!

 

Rage and Solidarity,

A member of the union workers and community workers.

private funding and foundations

Members of the SITT-IWW Community Workers Union, Members of the SITT-IWW Community Workers Union. Members of the SITT-IWW Community Workers Union, Members of the SITT-IWW Community Workers Union, Members of the SITT-IWW Community Workers Union. Members of the SITT-IWW Community Workers Union, Members of the SITT-IWW Community Workers Union, Members of the SITT-IWW Community Workers Union. Members of the SITT-IWW Community Workers Union 2018, Members of the SITT-IWW Community Workers Union, Members of the SITT-IWW Community Workers Union, reports on the impact of private foundation funding on community action.

 

reports on the impact of private foundation funding on community action, reports on the impact of private foundation funding on community action, reports on the impact of private foundation funding on community action. reports on the impact of private foundation funding on community action. So, reports on the impact of private foundation funding on community action. reports on the impact of private foundation funding on community action, reports on the impact of private foundation funding on community action. The choice of projects and campaigns is made according to the interests of the leaders and according to principles specific to capitalism : The choice of projects and campaigns is made according to the interests of the leaders and according to principles specific to capitalism, The choice of projects and campaigns is made according to the interests of the leaders and according to principles specific to capitalism, The choice of projects and campaigns is made according to the interests of the leaders and according to principles specific to capitalism, The choice of projects and campaigns is made according to the interests of the leaders and according to principles specific to capitalism, etc. The choice of projects and campaigns is made according to the interests of the leaders and according to principles specific to capitalism. The choice of projects and campaigns is made according to the interests of the leaders and according to principles specific to capitalism, The choice of projects and campaigns is made according to the interests of the leaders and according to principles specific to capitalism, The choice of projects and campaigns is made according to the interests of the leaders and according to principles specific to capitalism. In this context, The choice of projects and campaigns is made according to the interests of the leaders and according to principles specific to capitalism, The choice of projects and campaigns is made according to the interests of the leaders and according to principles specific to capitalism.

 

Also, The choice of projects and campaigns is made according to the interests of the leaders and according to principles specific to capitalism, which have been subcontracted to us, Workers Community, which have been subcontracted to us. Indeed, which have been subcontracted to us, which have been subcontracted to us. which have been subcontracted to us, which have been subcontracted to us. which have been subcontracted to us.

 

which have been subcontracted to us, which have been subcontracted to us, which have been subcontracted to us, which have been subcontracted to us. This includes a trend towards the professionalization of the community environment and its depoliticization. This includes a trend towards the professionalization of the community environment and its depoliticization, This includes a trend towards the professionalization of the community environment and its depoliticization. This includes a trend towards the professionalization of the community environment and its depoliticization, This includes a trend towards the professionalization of the community environment and its depoliticization. This includes a trend towards the professionalization of the community environment and its depoliticization, This includes a trend towards the professionalization of the community environment and its depoliticization […] we mean by educational success the development of the full potential of the child so that he becomes an adult, we mean by educational success the development of the full potential of the child so that he becomes an adult, we mean by educational success the development of the full potential of the child so that he becomes an adult, we mean by educational success the development of the full potential of the child so that he becomes an adult. we mean by educational success the development of the full potential of the child so that he becomes an adult, we mean by educational success the development of the full potential of the child so that he becomes an adult. we mean by educational success the development of the full potential of the child so that he becomes an adult, we mean by educational success the development of the full potential of the child so that he becomes an adult.

 

At the IWW, we mean by educational success the development of the full potential of the child so that he becomes an adult. The emancipation of a community is incompatible with the model of individualist charity advocated by Chagnon. The emancipation of a community is incompatible with the model of individualist charity advocated by Chagnon.

 

Solidarity,

The emancipation of a community is incompatible with the model of individualist charity advocated by Chagnon.

The 24 april, I do not count!

The 24 next april, the government of Quebec will count people experiencing homelessness in 11 cities. This enumeration is part of the will of governments to justify important programs claiming to end homelessness in a few years. Document more and ultimately end homelessness, these are good intentions, but hell is paved with good intentions.

 

Counting people experiencing visible homelessness obscures the magnitude of the situation

The proposed exercise is essentially a photograph of an isolated moment in specific places. Many places will not be visited, entire regions are excluded and the volunteers who will conduct the exercise will identify people on the basis of minimalist criteria stemming from the stereotypes associated with homeless people.

 

So, large numbers of people experiencing hidden homelessness, episodic or situational will be ruled out and, thereby, "Invisible" (especially women, young people, Aboriginal, people from cultural communities). This effect is likely to be particularly significant in regions where the survival strategies of these people ensure that they are not "visible".

 

The results obtained involve real risks if they are given too much credibility or attempted to make comparisons. For exemple, if there are fewer people in April 2018 in Montreal than in 2015 will we be pleased to have reduced homelessness? A number is easy to understand, easy to compare, but will we take into account the other clues, like the fact that Montreal shelters, especially for women, continued to overflow all winter, that resources continue to refuse hundreds of people each year due to lack of space?

 

Investigate people experiencing homelessness, a disrespectful practice close to the denial of rights

In addition to counting them, the counting teams will administer exhaustive questionnaires to the people met. Many questions go to the heart of life situations that may have led people to the street. Although people are free to answer it or not; the fact remains that many will be plunged back directly into traumatic elements of their existence by well-intentioned volunteers, but not necessarily equipped to deal with these situations.

 

Several of the questions in the questionnaire run counter to the fundamental principles of the intervention by / for / with essentials in terms of intervention.. In these approaches, those helped are brought to speak of their realities at their own pace or at least in a much less rushed manner.

 

Who would accept to answer questions about his associates, sexual practices, incarceration experience with strangers met by chance on the street, possibly in a time of distress? Will the people questioned feel comfortable refusing when they are already regularly questioned by the police? And what impact will this perilous process have on the ability of the workers to come into contact with the people questioned ? After answering the questionnaire, participants will receive a superb Ti Moton gift card, an exemplary corporate citizen!

 

Why count homeless people?

Why this focus on visible homelessness which obscures the existence and extent of the different forms of homelessness? Visible homelessness is one that bothers capitalists and their lackeys. It’s the one that takes up space in sanitized city centers, she is the one who harms the sale of condos in working-class neighborhoods, she’s exposing the gaping holes in the social safety net. It becomes important for governments to act, but without displeasing the bosses, investors and bankers.

 

The recipe is simple, there are homeless people. Despite the downsides of the organizers, the key information remains the number. Then the government sets a goal of getting a symbolic part of this number out of the street in a few years. To do this, he will use the fashionable approach among decision makers: le Housing first (also called Housing First, residential stability with support). During the last years, the federal and provincial governments redirected a large part of their funding to community groups towards the Housing First approach at the expense of other activities such as street work, harm reduction and prevention in general.

 

Then we recount! Whether the number is up or down, the political conclusion will be favorable to the approach ...

 

Why governments are so supportive of the Housing first approach?

Governments support this approach because it appears to be effective in the eyes of the public and especially because it does not challenge the established order. Aiming for the "end of homelessness" in a capitalist context is very illusory, but will remain a very useful slogan to sell ready-to-vote solutions to decision-makers lacking committed images.

The Housing first approach works in certain circumstances, but it is only aimed at helping people who have been on the street for a long time, so many homeless people simply cannot participate in these projects. Furthermore, for many reasons, many people housed by these programs are unable to stay in housing and end up leaving. Others simply do not have the financial capacity to keep a home after the program ends and must therefore return to the streets. It offers a "simple solution" to complex situations that will inevitably fail.

 

Housing First's solution moves government away from long-term responsibilities; thus the use of subsidized private housing does well for owners who inherit a captive clientele, undemanding and with almost guaranteed rent payment. Using private accommodation, housing needs are reduced in the very short term and the role of the private sector is strengthened. We do not favor the creation of collective and social spaces. These are investments that remain the property of communities and offer diversified and structuring environments..

 

The 24 april, we will be as usual with people experiencing homelessness, but we refuse to count! We invite SITT-IWW members and the public not to participate in this hoax!

 

Solidarity,

 

Homeless workers