WSIB workers vote in favour of strike
Workers at the Workplace Safety and Insurance Board (WSIB) have voted overwhelmingly in favour of strike action, their union reported on May 8.
More than 3,500 members of Ontario Compensation Employees Union (OCEU) / Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE) Local 1750 voted 97% in favour of jobsite action after being unable to reach an agreement with their employers for more than three months.
“With a participation rate of over 87%, my co-workers have sent a powerful message to our employer. We are united. We are determined. We will not accept cuts. And we will not fall behind inflation,” said Local 1750 President Harry Goslin.
WSIB employees provide compensation for loss of earnings, benefits and health care coverage to eligible employees who suffered an injury or illness because of their job.
At issue are compensation improvements, a plan to improve workload problems, solutions to resolve numerous grievances, and a process to guarantee they have the resources to improve service delivery.
“Our proposals would make services better for Ontarians and employers while improving the lives of our members,” said Goslin. “For its part, the WSIB has sought cuts to a variety of contract provisions including vacation and holiday entitlements representing a reduction in compensation.”
The bargaining committee will return to negotiations for three scheduled dates with a mediator from the Ministry of Labour this week.