Letter template for you to use - Support Worker 2 (CSW2)

An example letter from Cam Petty, a staff member who has been in this workforce for 30 years. Here’s his voice through letter writing:

-“I signed the petition last night. I sent the following email to various emails listed in this campaign as well as to Premier Kenney and Official Opposition Rachel Notley. Take a look

Please take the time and read this entire email. Thank you.”

I have worked in the People with Developmental Disabilities (PDD)field, for both Skills Society and Catholic Social Services for 30 years. I am classified as a Community Support Worker 2 (CSW2), Outreach. This is as high as I can go without becoming management, which I do not want as I want to work directly with the people we serve.

The common disability that the people I serve is Developmental but most of the individuals I support have 2 or more Disabilities/Diagnosis, ranging from Mental Health Issues, such as Schizophrenia to Physical Disabilities to FASD and more and all of the problems these Disabilities cause in their lives such as Severe Addictions with drugs and alcohol, Homelessness, Extreme Poverty, Unemployment and just becoming meaningful Members of their Communities. I provide support for all of this and more. As you can see, I need a very wide variety of Skills and on-going Education to do my Job. I am a Skilled Worker and not just “Labour”.

We have been designated an Essential Service and I have personally worked through the entirety of the Covid19 Pandemic, only taking the time off required when I caught Delta COVID, even though I was fully vaccinated. I have heard several sectors complaining about “Burnout”. My sector has exactly the same Burnout issues but we also deal with very low wages and very little official recognition of our hard work.

I make $$/hour, the highest wage I can get and have not had a pay increase in 8 years. Inflation has risen 17% during this period meaning I have 17% less money to support myself and my family than I did 8 years ago and inflation is now hitting all time highs. Can you think of another sector that deals with such a wide variety of issues for such low pay (not to mention very little health benefits). The people that work in this sector tend to have a strong drive to help others and a low drive to complain or seek recognition which is why the Alberta Government, regardless of which party is in power, easily overlooks us. We may work for a Nonprofit Organization BUT we are Funded and Regulated by various Alberta Government Ministries, primarily PDD BUT PDD can only use the money the Alberta Government gives them, making the Alberta Government responsible for our very low wages and how we are treated. In a very real and functional way the Alberta Government is our employer and the Nonprofit Organizations provide management for the Alberta Government.

Thank you for your time and consideration.
Cam Petty