Union alleges WSIB 'not taking strike seriously' while board blames union's dozens of demands for pace of negotiations
As the second week of the labour dispute at the Workplace Safety and Insurance Board (WSIB) begins, both the WSIB and the Ontario Compensation Employees Union (OCEU/CUPE 1750) report little progress in negotiations and remain at odds over workload, staffing, and wages.
The union, representing over 3,600 WSIB employees, launched a legal strike on May 21, citing concerns over burnout and stagnant wages. The WSIB responded with a lockout as part of its “business continuity protocol,” preventing striking workers from returning until a new deal is reached.
Union criticizes employer’s pace
“It’s like they aren’t taking the strike seriously,” says Harry Goslin, president of OCEU/CUPE 1750, in the union’s latest press release. “Our members are out on the picket lines because they are overworked and feel disrespected by the employer, and these delay tactics are just a manifestation of that disrespect.”
Nicole Francis, OCEU/CUPE 1750’s chief steward, adds: “The employer made the union wait four days for a pass last week. Their lack of meaningful engagement in this process is deeply frustrating.”
The union says it submitted a comprehensive proposal, or “pass,” on June 1 but has yet to receive a complete response from the employer. It is demanding solutions for what it calls a “toxic workload problem,” which it links to elevated rates of burnout and mental health leaves among members. The union also seeks wage increases that would restore purchasing power lost since Bill C-124 froze public sector wages in 2019.
WSIB disputes union’s claims
Aaron Lazarus, WSIB vice president of communications, rejects the union’s narrative and says progress is being made. “We continue to have negotiations. There’s a mediator involved from the Ontario Labour Relations Board,” he says. “We’re hopeful that we are inching towards a fair and reasonable agreement so that we’ll be able to get the full team back together again”.
Lazarus challenges the union’s allegations of employer foot-dragging. “The union had 48 different requests at that time. I think we’re in the 30s now,” he says, adding that the slow pace reflects the union’s broad list of demands. “It shows the unfortunate gap between what the union leader’s narrative is and the truth… Their members would like to get back to work, and we would love for them to get back to work as well.”
Lazarus also dismisses the union's suggestion that 20,000 claims remain unregistered due to the strike. “We have zero unregistered claims. We are registering every claim we get as we get them that day,” he says.
While he confirms that WSIB has locked out striking employees from internal systems and buildings, he says it is not retaliation. “It’s a safety precaution,” he insists. “Our top priority is helping people… We’re doing everything that we possibly can to make sure that the people who need our help the most are still going to get it”.
Calls for a fair wage deal
The union maintains that the deadlock over wages is partly driven by external pressure. “We have been told the treasury board is telling the employer not to offer us a fair wage deal,” Goslin says in the press release. “Seeing as the WSIB isn’t taxpayer funded, we’re not sure why the treasury board is involved at all.”
Meanwhile, both sides say they remain at the table, even as frustrations mount. “The negotiations continue,” says Lazarus. “For us, at the end of the day, this is about helping people who get injured at work… And we hope that the union leadership will come to that agreement”.
For now, WSIB says core services such as income replacement and health care access continue despite the lockout, although non-core services like appeals are on hold. The union plans to hold a press conference Thursday morning at Queen’s Park. Canadian Occupational Safety will bring you those updates as they become available.
