TORONTO- A new ad campaign blanketing Ontario airwaves proves how far WSIB has drifted from their mandate, say CUPE members working at the organization.
Founded over 100 years ago to provide the best possible support to injured Ontario workers, the ads champion WSIB’s $2 billion rebate to businesses. While all Ontarians face the prospect of higher prices brought on by a trade war and injured workers face even greater uncertainty in a weakening economy, WSIB has forgotten their mandate by focusing on businesses.
“Successive governments have failed to invest in worker safety, and have failed to reverse cuts to compensation levels, and services,” said Harry Goslin, President of CUPE 1750-OCEU which represents workers at WSIB. “WSIB has changed. We have seen it and the people we serve have seen it. WSIB must get back to prioritizing workers’ needs, especially in these tough times. This refund and other refunds that came before do absolutely nothing to improve safety or prevent injury.”
Instead of offering rebates, WSIB should be looking into key reforms to ensure greater safety to Ontario workers while contributing to Ontario’s economy during an uncertain time.
Over 1.5 million Ontario workers do not currently have WSIB coverage leaving them at risk when they go to work every single day. Universal coverage would add $205 million to Ontario’s economy and save more than $100 million in OHIP costs. The $2 billion could also have gone to restoring benefits supports cut during the Harris conservative government, restoring investments in Ontario’s Health and Safety system to prevent injuries and illnesses, and putting an end to claims suppression – all steps that would have shown Provincial Government’s commitment to supporting Ontario workers.
“WSIB is not an insurance company. The mandate is to care for Ontario workers. But they’re acting like every other insurance company, offering employer refunds, cutting benefits, and creating a workload crisis among their own workers,” said Goslin. “Ontario workers deserve a WSIB truly focused on them.”
WSIB and CUPE 1750-OCEU are currently bargaining a new contract. CUPE 1750-OCEU members are focused on addressing longstanding severe workload issues that have pushed workers from the agency and further eroded the services they are able to provide injured Ontarians.
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For more information, please contact:
Jesse Mintz, CUPE Communications Representative
416-704-9642
mb/cope491
