The Toronto & York Region Labour Council stands firmly in support of the Ontario Federation of
Labour’s Campaign for an Injured Workers’ Bill of Rights, and stands in support and solidarity
with all injured workers and the families of those who never came home from work. To ensure
justice for working people injured on the job site, we call on the provincial government to
urgently enact an Injured Workers’ Bill of Rights which reflects the calls of the Ontario Network
of Injured Workers Groups.
Every day in Toronto and York Region, workers are injured or made ill on the job. In addition to
struggling with what at times can be life altering injuries, workers must battle a workers’ compensation system which is meant to be supporting them, adding insult to injury as they seek compensation and benefits they are owed. This injustice is an unacceptable political choice, influenced by wealthy and powerful interests, which working people can no longer tolerate.
The Injured Workers’ Bill of Rights is an urgent priority which the provincial government must
guarantee to ensure just, fair, and non-discriminatory treatment for all injured workers. This bill
of rights must include:
- Universal workers’ compensation coverage;
- Unimpeded access to heath care, with full coverage for related travel costs;
- Recognizing mental health workplace injuries for all workplaces and occupations;
- Enacting Bill 57 to make “deeming” illegal;
- Recognizing an injured worker’s “treating health care team” as the primary, reliable source of medical information;
- Ensuring that the misuse of “Pre-Existing Conditions” not allow benefit cuts;
- Ensuring injured workers who reach age 65 do not experience Loss of Earnings or limits on benefits;
- Enacting a bill to recognize June 1 as Injured Workers’ Day.
Fighting to ensure working people are safe on the job is one of the primary struggles of the
labour movement, and ensuring that those who are injured are able to live in dignity is the
extension of that noble aim. Benefits and compensation for injured workers can not be
something which is applied unevenly or arbitrarily, and should be recognized as a right for all
workers in Ontario and across the country.
We also call on the provincial government to extend public health care coverage to all workers,
regardless of their status. Last year, the government cut healthcare coverage for uninsured
people in Ontario. These cuts are detrimentally affecting some of the most marginalized people in our communities, including people with precarious immigration status; temporary workers without official status; international students without insurance; and non-status Ontarians, many of whom are engaged in essential paid and unpaid work. We support the Decent Work and Health Network’s (DWHN) campaign – Tell your MPP: We need #Healthcare4All that addresses this issue.
The Labour Council resolves to:
- Support the OFL Injured Workers’ Bill of Rights Campaign
- Call on politicians to support the implementation of an Injured Workers’ Bill of Rights based on the minimum standards laid out by the Ontario Network of Injured Workers Groups
- Support the Decent Work and Health Network’s campaign – Tell your MPP: We need #Healthcare4All
- Call on politicians to provide insured health care services to all by participating in the DWHN campaign
- Call on all affiliates to support the campaigns, and struggle for an Injured Workers’ Bill of Rights which covers all working people, and for healthcare for all
- Mobilize members and affiliates to support the Injured Workers’ Day of Action on June 1st
