Social workers with the Massachusetts Department of Children and Families are planning a series of informational pickets regarding case loads over the next couple of weeks. The first picket will be held at the agency’s Pittsfield office Monday.The social workers are trying to raise awareness of what they say are increasing case loads over the past 18 months, according to Service Employees International Union Local 509 communications director Jason Stephany.
“We’re talking about workers carrying workloads of 20, 25, 30 or more families,” Stephany said. “That’s just not a level at which they can guarantee the safety of the kids in their caseload.”
As the Massachusetts Senate crafts its budget, Stephany says there will be more than a dozen pickets across the state over the next few weeks with social workers calling for more DCF funding. The Pittsfield picket starts at noon Monday at 53 Eagle St.
