Workers who handle coverage and claims for injured workers in Ontario are returning to their posts Monday after a lengthy strike and standoff with their provincial employer.
Unionized staff with the Workplace Safety and Insurance Board voted to ratify a tentative government deal on Sunday, ending a strike which began back in May.
“I am proud of my coworkers and the strength of our union, we are a critical safety net for Ontario workers and Ontarians spoke up, sending thousands of messages to the WSIB leadership,” Harry Goslin, president of OCEU/CUPE 1750, said in a statement.
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“Together, we were able to secure the best possible outcome and successfully pushed back against the employer’s attacks on union seniority rights.”
The union represents some 3,600 frontline WSIB workers, who handle injury and insurance coverage claims for various jobs, including police and firefighters.
The strike, which began on May 21, was the first in the WSIB’s history, according to the union. It lasted for more than a month and a half before it ended.
The union had complained about the wages being offered to staff in the new deal, as well as workload and concerns about some jobs being outsourced to the United States.
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