Unionized staff at the Workplace Safety Insurance Board of Ontario say they’ll hit the picket lines as early as Thursday.
The public sector workers are in a legal strike position after failing to reach a contract agreement with the arms-length government agency.
“It’s unfortunate, but we are workers too, and just like any other workers, we need some help,” said Harry Goslin, president of Ontario Compensation Employees Union/CUPE 1750, which represents unionized WSIB employees.
The union says it began work-to-rule job action Wednesday and will start rolling strikes on Thursday.
Goslin said OCEU/CUPE 1750 has reached an impasse in contract negotiations with WSIB, and its members have voted 96 per cent in favour of strike action.
“We’d be looking at doing one and two-day strike action, fully off the job, conducting picket duty, and then when we’re back in the office conducting some services, but prioritizing injured worker claims,” explained Goslin.
“It can mean we do a few locations on a specific day, or the entire province where everybody is out for a day or two,” Goslin added.
The union represents 3,600 workers across the province, including approximately 240 in the London region. They’ve been without a contract since the end of April, and they’re in a legal strike position as of Wednesday.
According to Goslin, the employer is offering wage increases totaling 4.5 per cent over three years.
“We can’t take an insulting wage increase of 4.5 over three years. That’s crazy. Nobody is getting offers as low as that,” Goslin said.
In a release, the board expressed disappointment that the union has not responded to an offer, which includes enhanced benefits, and a wage increase above inflation in 2025.
“Our number one concern is helping the people who depend on us for support,” said Jeffery Lang, WSIB President and CEO. “We are focused on making sure income support continues for people as they recover from an injury or illness. The WSIB is here to help.”
The Ontario Ministry of Labour did not respond to our request for comment from CTV News as of publish deadline.
In the meantime, the union plans to rally outside the WSIB Front Street Toronto office on Thursday, while staging pickets in various locations, including London and Windsor.
