The Workplace Safety and Insurance Board says it has put forward above-inflation wage increases and improved benefits as contract talks with striking workers continue into their third week.
The WSIB engaged in mediated talks with the Ontario Compensation Employees Union all weekend, advancing proposals on wages, benefits and workload issues, it said. The union has been on strike since May 22.
More than 60 per cent of union members already earn over $100,000, and the WSIB’s latest offer would see over 73 per cent earning six figures by 2027, according to the agency. Canada’s most recent inflation rate sits at 1.7 per cent.
The WSIB has also proposed changes to address workload concerns, including enhanced joint committee work with dedicated resources to reduce caseloads further. The agency says average caseloads have dropped 60 per cent from their 2021 peak, with 100 new staff added to case management teams.
Services continue during strike
“We have an amazing team that does tough but excellent work,” said Jeff Lang, President and CEO of the WSIB. “When people are hurt at work, we help them recover and return to what matters, and we’re getting the best results in a decade. I hope our team sees our position as a genuine effort to put this strike behind us and get back to what we do best: helping people.”
The WSIB has registered over 11,000 new claims and issued over 60,000 payments since the strike began. Online services remain available 24/7, allowing workers and employers to report injuries, submit documents and access claim information.
Telephone support operates from 7:30 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday to Friday, though longer wait times are expected. The agency warns that response times for non-urgent matters will also be affected.
Contract negotiations ongoing
The WSIB called on the union to return to negotiations with what it termed “fair and realistic expectations.” The agency provides workplace injury insurance to more than 5.3 million people across 300,000 Ontario workplaces.
Workers covered by the strike include case managers, claims adjudicators and other staff who handle workplace injury claims and benefits. The union represents about 6,000 WSIB employees.
The strike affects various WSIB operations, though the agency maintains it continues processing claims and providing essential services to injured workers and employers.
