TORONTO, May 13, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — The Ontario Federation of Labour (OFL) issued a letter on May 13, 2025, to Ontario Minister of Labour David Piccini, Hon. Caroline Mulroney, President of the Treasury Board, and Jeff Lang, President and CEO of Workplace Safety and Insurance Board (WSIB). Sent on behalf of unions representing over one million workers across Ontario, the letter affirms full solidarity with OCEU / CUPE Local 1750 in their current round of bargaining with the WSIB, ahead of a legal strike date set for May 16, 2025.
Dear Minister Piccini, Treasury Board President Mulroney, and WSIB President & CEO Lang,
Open Letter in Support of OCEU / CUPE Local 1750 Negotiations for a Fair and Timely Settlement
On behalf of unions representing more than one million workers in the province of Ontario, we stand in full solidarity with OCEU / CUPE Local 1750 in their current round of collective bargaining with the Workplace Safety and Insurance Board (WSIB).
Minister Piccini, Treasury Board President Mulroney and President Lang, we are deeply concerned about the issue of unsustainable workloads being faced by members of OCEU / CUPE Local 1750–workers who play a critical role in delivering vital services to injured workers and employers across the province.
The rising demands placed upon these employees are not only unfair but risk undermining the quality and effectiveness of the services provided by the WSIB.
These issues must be addressed seriously and urgently at the bargaining table.
We call upon WSIB leadership to engage in meaningful, good-faith negotiations that recognize the value and dedication of OCEU / CUPE Local 1750 members. We firmly believe that a fair and respectful settlement can and should be achieved–one that addresses workload, supports work-life balance, and ensures dignity for these workers.
It is our collective hope that a resolution is reached before any strike or lockout is imposed.
A work stoppage would not only disrupt services but further erode our trust that the WSIB is delivering on its mandate to support injured workers in Ontario accessing their workers compensation system.
This can and must be avoided.
We urge the Workplace Safety and Insurance Board, the Treasury Board and the Minister of Labour, who has responsibility for the WSIB, to take this opportunity to demonstrate leadership and respect for these employees and all workers in this province, by settling this round of bargaining in a way that reflects fairness, equity, and sustainability.
Sincerely,
LAURA WALTON
President
LW/RH/jc/cope343
C: OCEU / CUPE Local 1750 Bargaining Committee
Signed on behalf of the following individuals and organizations that endorse this letter, and the requests for action included herein.
| Fred Hahn President CUPE Ontario |
Erin Ariss, RN President Ontario Nurses' Association |
Kelly Belbin President COPE Ontario |
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| Karen Brown President Elementary Teachers' Federation of Ontario (ETFO) |
Rebecca Caron President IFPTE 160 – Society of United Professionals |
John Di Nino President ATU Canada |
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| Mike Gallagher Business Manager International Union of Operating Engineers Local 793 |
Blair Gallant President SMWIA Local 30 |
JP Hornick President OPSEU / SEFPO |
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| Jeff Irons Vice-President IBEW Local 353 |
Rene Jansen in de Wal President Ontario English Catholic Teachers' Association (OECTA) |
Ruth Lau MacDonald Regional Executive Vice-President PSAC-NCR | AFPC-RCN |
| Karen Littlewood President Ontario Secondary School Teachers' Federation (OSSTF/FEESO) |
Ralph Martin Chief of Staff IAM Union |
Nigmendra Narain President Ontario Confederation of University Faculty Associations (OCUFA) |
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| Charlene Nero President LiUNA Local 3000 |
John Nock President UFCW Local 12r24 |
Craig Reynolds Regional Executive Vice-President PSAC Ontario |
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| Jan Simpson National President Canadian Union of Postal Workers |
Terry Snooks Director of Canadian Affairs United Association of Journeymen and Apprentices of the Plumbing and Pipefitting Industry of the United States and Canada |
Kevon Stewart Director USW District 6 |
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| Guled Warsame President Unite Here Local 75 |
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Media Contact:
Jenny Sellathurai
Director of Communications
Ontario Federation of Labour
jsellathurai@ofl.ca | 416-894-3456
