UFCW activists call for better protections, more respect for Injured Workers at Ontario rally
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Toronto – June 3, 2019 – UFCW Canada activists recently joined hundreds of advocates from across Ontario at the 36th annual Injured Workers’ Day rally.
The June 1 rally was one of many actions marking Injured Workers' Day across the province. Fresh off the heels of a new whistleblower report that shows Workplace Safety and Insurance Board (WSIB) policies are impoverishing injured workers, activists at the Toronto rally marched from the Ontario legislature to the Ministry of Labour offices to send a message to the government that workers’ compensation is a right, not a privilege.
Organized by the Ontario Network of Injured Workers Groups (ONIWG), the rally called for a WSIB system for all Ontario workers, including full compensation for lost wages and an end to the practice of using pre-existing conditions to reduce workers' compensation. It also called on the government to consult with health care professionals who treat injured workers when crafting policy around health and safety issues. The Saturday march was the 36th annual Injured Workers’ Day rally.
"UFCW Canada continues to stand up for the rights of injured workers because our union believes that all workers must be treated with fairness, dignity, and respect,” says Debora De Angelis, UFCW Canada Regional Director for Ontario. "Through sustained activism, we can achieve better enforcement of health and safety protections, as well as criminal prosecution of employers who ignore their responsibilities under the law," she adds.
For decades, UFCW Canada has been at the forefront of advocating for the rights of injured workers and helping to create safer workplaces across the country. UFCW also provides free health and safety courses – offered through our webCampusPLUS platform – that empower members and their families with valuable information and resources for identifying and solving workplace health and safety concerns. To learn more about these courses, click here.