#WSIB column doesn’t tell full story: thestar/opinion/letters_to_the_editors/2014/07/04/wsib_column_doesnt_tell_full_story.html Published on Fri Jul 04 2014 Re: Workers compensation under attack, Opinion June 28 Workers compensation under attack, Opinion June 28 Odoardo Di Santo is right on but his comments are not the whole story. Currently there are over 8,000 workers within Ontario who have claims that have been denied, many without a hearing at the WSIB of their initial claim, and are awaiting for their appeals to be heard in response to the board’s denials. The Appeals Tribunal is now processing approximately 80 to 100 worker appeals per week. Do the math. Many of these workers will expire before their appeals are heard. Shameful. But providing benefits for injured workers and their families is only half the story. No one can question that effective prevention of workplace injuries and fatalities reduce costs to the system. But some employers, aided by bureaucrats within the Ministry of Labour and its subordinate body the Prevention Office, have developed a strategy that compliments the denial of injured worker benefits. Simply put, reduce workplace costs by implementing cost saving ineffective Health and Safety prevention programs and, when workers pay the price, have the WSIB deny their benefits. As an example, the Workers Health and Safety Centre, put in place by the Davis government to offset ineffective employer training has been recognized both nationally and internationally as an effective training model. Currently and for the past two years the Prevention Office supported by Ministry of Labour officials, have been demanding conformity to a myriad of operational directives, none of which support the continuance of the WHSC’s ability to deliver as they have in the past, effective training and education programs. At the root of this strategy is the MOL/CPO demand that the WHSC address their (read employer) not the Workers training priorities. The WHSC is funded by the WSIB which is administered by the MOL. Since it’s inception twenty-five years ago, funding for the WHSC has been provided annually. At present funding has been granted for only six months, ending September 2014. This reduction in funding is coupled with threats that non-compliance with the MOL priorities for training will result in funding termination. What remains to be seen is who will come to the aid of effective workplace training that has a proven record of saving lives and preventing injuries in the workplace and also in support of the other half of the equasion, those workers currently denied benefits for their injuries. Traditionally, this support has come from worker and injured worker organizations as well as from within the Legislature. We can only hope that prior (and as a last resort) to injured workers and their supporters taking to the streets, the current provincial government will carry out their promise of fairness for all residents of Ontario and oversee the activities of the powerful individuals who reign supreme and unchecked and with their allies are responsible for the current hardships suffered, and about to be suffered, by those persons who labour daily to provide public and private sector services products and security. Gordon Wilson, Past President, Ontario Federation of Labour, Brooklin #onpoli
Posted on: Sat, 05 Jul 2014 00:16:05 +0000
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