Posted: Tuesday, 1 June 2010

Injured Workers Day commemorates the events of June 1st, 1983, when thousands of Ontario injured workers came to Queen's Park in opposition to the government’s proposal to eliminate the permanent disability pension. The government listened and set aside the proposal.

Unfortunately, 27 years later, the current workers’ compensation system is in decline. Workers’ compensation boards are continuously bowing to corporate pressure to make changes that are not beneficial to workers while many workers are not reporting injuries. There is a need in every jurisdiction to organize for change as too many workers are not receiving the care and services that workers’ compensation was designed to provide.

Governments must ensure that changes to workers’ compensation include dignity, respect and justice as the three pillars for a renewed workers’ compensation system. We must truly assist and compensate all workers injured, made sick and disabled at work including full cost of living protection, real jobs and job security, or full compensation including a pension for life if workplace injuries result in a disability for life. On this day, and moving forward together on the three pillars of dignity, respect and justice, we propose:

• the experience rating be removed;
• the mandate of workers’ compensation boards to “make injured workers whole”, be re-established;
• the re-establishment of WCB administered vocational rehabilitation that meets the needs of workers by improving both their employment qualifications and options for employment thus improving their quality of life; and
• steps be taken to ensure that equivalent or better jobs are provided, otherwise full compensation must be provided.