CUPESeptember 2nd.  That’s the deadline that unionized workers with the Children’s Aid Society of Algoma has set for strike action should mediated talks not result in a deal before August 31st.  Members of CUPE Local 5269 have been working without a contract since April — the union is urging the employer to return to the bargaining table to reach a fair collective agreement. In the event of a labour disruption the agency will only focus on emergency services and they will not be operating the supervised access program, responding only to urgent court matters.  In a release, union local preseident Lee-Ann Pettenuzzo accused the employer of not taking the union seriously after mediation talks were scheduled.  Pettenuzzo feels the negotiations have fallen short due to the employer’s lack of respect toward their work, adding their proposals still include concessions and remain far below the standards in the childcare sector.  Pettenuzzo says there is little respect for the important work the workers do. The unionized employees help ensure children are safe and families are serviced appropriately, addressing concerns such as substance abuse, domestic violence, poverty and mental health.  Pettenuzzo adds that the employer and the union members have competing mandates, that the employer is obligated to meet a budget.  But she says front line workers are mandated to provide services and the province’s new funding formula doesn’t necessarily provide the services that are required, especially in the north.  The affected workers have been without a contract since April.