Dozens rally in support of Hearing Society workers in Windsor

Dozens of people picketed outside the Canadian Hearing Society in Windsor Friday to support striking workers at the service provider for deaf and hearing impaired Ontarians.

• Canadian Hearing Society, CUPE head back to negotiating table
• Deaf Windsorites struggle without sign language interpreters during strike

Unionizedworkers at the Hearing Society have been offthe job since March 6. That's meant services for deaf and hearing impaired people across the province have been harder to come by, impacting their ability toaccess services such assign languageinterpreters formedical appointments.

Friday's rally was organized by CUPEandattracted fellow union members attending a municipal workers conference at CaesarsWindsor this weekend.

Current and former clients of the Hearing Society showed up tosupport the service providers they have been unable to access since the beginning of the month.

"I came all the way from Chatham today to be here for support," said Michelle Barron through an interpreter.

She is deaf anda former board member of the Canadian Hearing Society for Chatham. Barronsaidthe hour-long drive to attend the rally was worth it after years of both working with the Society and accessing its services.

"I can't just sit at home and watch this happening," said Barron. "It's not just the interpreting but audiologists... all the staff at Canadian Hearing Society."

In a statement, management at the Canadian Hearing Society said negotiationscontinued on Friday. Both CUPE and the CHS say they will not comment publicly on how things are going at the bargaining table.

On the picket line, spirits remain high.

"We're still here and we're still strong and we'll continue to be here as long as needed," said striking sign language interpreter and picket captain Courtney Cockburn.