Wages, Working Conditions, and Restructuring in Ontario's Social Work Profession

The Sophie Lucyk Virtual Library thanks the Canadian Association of Social Workers for graciously permitting their work to be reproduced. Further reproduction prohibited without permission given by publisher.A recent survey undertaken by the Ontario Association of Social Workers asked social workers in the province about their working conditions and found that social workers operate within a contradictory space involving limited resources, increased demands, and low wages. The findings present a portrait of a field of professionals who are largely satisfied with their careers, but struggling to provide quality care for clients within the current context. Despite increasingly stressful and demanding work environments, the OASW survey indicates that many social workers have an enduring commitment to the provision of quality client care, even if it contributes to their own exploitation. Nonetheless, survey respondents expressed dissatisfaction with their wages and working conditions