WELFARE WORKERS REFUSE TO AID IN DRUG TESTS

Union members balk at provincial plan to screen recipients of social assistance

Ontario's social service workers have vowed they won't do the ``dirty
work'' in the province's plan to test welfare recipients for drugs.

Some 60 members of the social services sector of the Canadian Union of
Public Employees agreed unanimously yesterday that they won't comply with
the Mike Harris government's latest initiative in welfare reform.

``Essentially, what these workers who deal with our most vulnerable are
saying is that they will no longer be used by the heartless Tories to do
their dirty work for them,'' said Sid Ryan, Ontario president of CUPE,
which represents about 15,000 social service workers in the province.

``They are taking a stand by not co-operating willingly with the continuing
intimidation of the poor.''

The provincial government hasn't yet revealed what role it would require
the caseworkers to play in the process. But general concern about the idea
got the issue added at the last minute to the agenda of an annual
conference of close to 200 CUPE leaders from across Ontario. The gathering
also passed another resolution calling for a series of public hearings that
will parallel those planned by the province during six weeks of
consultation scheduled with municipalities and legal experts.

``We think the Tory public hearings will be a sham,'' Ryan said.

``We want to set up alternative hearings to attract those people who would
not even be invited to the others - for instance, the Ontario Coalition
Against Poverty, the homeless folks, the people on welfare.''

Beyond the legal and ethical implications of the government plan announced
Tuesday - get tested for illegal drugs or lose your benefits - Ryan argued
that implementation of such a proposal would only increase workload and
stress for already underfunded agencies. ``It'll be up to our caseworkers
having to go out and break the news (of the loss of benefits),'' said Ryan.
``We'll be the ones having to justify it . . . having to argue it.

``And it used to be two caseworkers going into a home. Now, there's just
one. Some of these people will be desperate and we're there to take away
the very last strand of their safety net. There could be dangerous
situations.''

Social Services Minister John Baird said last week that those who test
positive for illegal drugs and refuse treatment will be cut off from social
assistance.

Helen Gibb-Gavel, committee co-ordinator for the social service workers at
this weekend's CUPE conference, suggested the drug-test plan ``might just
be another issue to take some of the light off other things - the Walkerton
situation, the wage increase (the proposed 42 per cent raise for MPPs).''

The plan, which would be the first in Canada, has angered activists who say
such a move would violate human rights, and harm children and single
mothers. Ontario Human Rights Commissioner Keith Norton has said he's
concerned the proposal would violate civil liberties.

Baird has insisted the plan is altruistic and not punitive, though he
conceded it may involve the police.

``Our government is not prepared to simply turn its back and write anyone
off,'' Baird has said. ``It's difficult to get a job if you're addicted to
drugs.''

Baird said he isn't sure how many welfare recipients are fighting
addictions. But he added only 250 people are on the Ontario Disability
Support Program because of an addiction.