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Foster Parents Prepare For Potential Caseworker Strike

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Montgomery County Children’s Services workers will strike this week, unless a deal is reached before then. The dispute between the 270 member union and the county centers on wages.

Michelle Tedford is the chair of Montgomery County’s Foster Parent Advisory Council and the parent of two foster children. She says she’s been working with caseworkers to take care of some administrative needs for her kids, just in case the Professional Guild of Ohio does move forward with strike plans.

“So, for example we have travel authorization permissions ready for vacations coming up,” says Tedford. “We have our summer school plan already in place.”

She says other foster families have been doing the same. County officials say they have a backup plan in case of a strike, but Tedford is still worried some things may fall through the cracks. Caseworkers, she says, play a critical role for foster children in court.

“There's a lot of volume in the courts,” says Tedford. “So even a week's worth of backup and having to be rescheduled I think really is a concern.”

If an agreement is not reached, Children’s Services workers will strike Friday. A mediation session is scheduled for Thursday.

Copyright 2019 WYSO

April Laissle is a graduate of Ohio University and comes to WYSO from WOUB Public Media in Athens, Ohio where she worked as a weekend host and reporter. There, she reported on everything from food insecurity to 4-H chicken competitions. April interned at KQED Public Radio in San Francisco, where she focused on health reporting. She also worked on The Broad Experience, a New-York based podcast about women and workplace issues. In her spare time, April loves traveling, trying new recipes and binge-listening to podcasts. April is a Florida native and has been adjusting to Ohio weather since 2011.