Unionized employees at Family and Children's Services of Guelph and Wellington County could be on the picket line this Saturday.
The local agency's 123 unionized front-line and support workers will be in a strike position, or be locked out, as of 12:01 a.m. Saturday.
The most recent contract offer was rejected Wednesday night and no other bargaining sessions are planned.
"We've offered to keep negotiating but they're refusing to come back to the table," said Cathy Thomas, president of CUPE 4325.
It is her understanding the unionized employees will be locked out.
"This is not what we want. We're willing to negotiate," Thomas said.
The agency provides ongoing support services to 450 families, look after 150 to 200 children, work's with 74 foster families and handle 25 to 50 walk-ins a day.
Sheila Markle, Director of Service for the local agency, was not immediately available for comment.
A press release from FCS said that as of 12:01 a.m. Saturday "a labour disruption may occur at any time from that point onward.
"Our primary concern is for the children and families we work with and essential services will continue to be provided for the duration of any labour disruption. However, the provision of non-essential services will be limited," the press release said.
"At this time, further talks have not been scheduled between the union and the agency. However, we remain committed to a positive outcome that is fair to employees and allows the agency to manage within its government funding allocation."
FCS is a charitable non-profit, funded by the province and run through a board of directors. It's annual budget is just over $20 million.
The contract expired on March 31, 2015, several bargaining sessions have proven unsuccessful. Two offers were rejected by the membership by a 70 per cent margin, most recently last Monday.
"Everything from intake, school meetings, family meetings, counselling, calls from schools and concerned people ... we do it all," Thomas said.
She said there is no way management can handle the job effectively during a work stoppage.
"Absolutely not. There's a lot that won't get done," Thomas said.
Thomas said the last four year contract that expired was a provincially-mandated contract that featured no wage increases for two of the four years and 2.95 per cent increases for the other two years.
She said senior management have received significantly higher wage increases in that same period.
“That’s why our members rejected management’s last contract offer and we are saying no to further widening the disparity that exists in this agency,” Thomas said.
