In November 2017, OPSEU’s representatives, along with delegates to the Ontario Federation of Labour (OFL) Convention unanimously endorsed the Workers’ Comp is a Right Campaign organized by the Ontario Network of Injured Workers’ Groups (ONIWG). The province-wide campaign joins with injured workers groups from across Ontario to organize together and in their own communities to make their voices heard about the injustices that injured workers face in today’s Ontario.
The first week of April is the last constituency week before the June 7th election. Members of Provincial Parliament (MPPs) are in their constituency offices specifically to meet with citizens from their ridings and hear their concerns. We urge you to take advantage of this opportunity to join with ONIWG’s Workers’ Comp is a Right campaign to raise injured worker demands, and reform how WSIB currently operates. Book an appointment with an MPP.
Injured workers represented through ONIWG have three demands that were unanimously endorsed by OFL delegates. Firstly that WSIB immediately end the practice of assigning injured workers to jobs they never were hired for or trained to do. Secondly that WSIB listen to the healthcare professionals treating injured workers, and thirdly that no injured worker be subjected to benefits cuts based on pre-existing conditions.
Are you an injured worker? Do know a co-worker, family member, or neighbor who is? Arrange to take that person with you and share their story of injury and the struggles they have faced to gain rightful compensation and simply survive post injury.
All workers are only a workplace accident away from joining the ever growing ranks of injured workers. We all need to play our part to ensure that when injured, every worker has the right to sustainable, and fair workers compensation. It is our right!
Enlist support, make your appointment and express your concerns to your MPP, joining together we can make the voices of injured workers heard. We can force change on the WSIB.
Together ONIWG and OFL have assembled an action toolkit, and a guide to help you through the steps of successfully lobbying your MPP. You can access these resources below:
http://injuredworkersonline.org/workers-comp-is-a-right-campaign/action-toolkit/