Striking WSIB workers returning to work on Monday after voting to ratify tentative collective agreement

As the WSIB strike drags on, Ontario Compensation Employees Union president Harry Goslin visited the picket line in North Bay on Tuesday to update them on contract negotiations.

Members of the Ontario Compensation Employees Union will be returning to work on Monday after voting in favour of ratifying the tentative collective agreement that was announced on Saturday with their employer, the Workplace Safety and Insurance Board.

The nearly 4,000 workers have been off the job for about six weeks following months of stalled contract negotiations with the WSIB, which provides workplace injury and illness insurance to more than 5.3 million people across 300,000 Ontario businesses.

Represented by CUPE Local 1750, the union struggled to reach an agreement with the WSIB. Some of its key priorities were “real investments in frontline staffing, a stop to outsourcing Ontario jobs, and safer workloads.”

“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, the union’s president, said in a written statement on Sunday.

“Together, we were able to secure the best possible outcome and successfully pushed back against the employer’s attacks on union seniority rights.”

Calling the job action, a “historic moment for our union and the broader labour movement,” Goslin thanked his members for their “unwavering commitment and courage, the public for their understanding, and our fellow unions for their solidarity and support throughout this challenging fight.”

Despite the return to work, OCEU/CUPE Local 1750 said the fight is not over to protect all workers’ rights and health.

“OCEU/CUPE 1750 will continue to stand in solidarity with other public sector unions currently negotiating collective agreements. The union remains concerned about the ongoing anti-union measures being pursued by the Ford Government and will remain vigilant in defending workers’ rights and fair bargaining processes,”it said.

Jeff Lang, WSIB’s president and CEO, previously said that their “number one priority has always been — and continues to be — helping the people who depend on us.”

“I am proud of our team’s work the last few weeks and am very excited for everyone to come back together so we can keep supporting Ontarians who need us,” he said over the weekend in response to the tentative collective agreement.

Lang thanked Ontarians for their patience, adding the organization is committed to “delivering better, easier, and faster service.”

During the strike, digital services on the workplace safety board’s website remained available for submitting claims, accessing benefits, and managing account information.

Terms of the agreement have not been disclosed.

CP24 reached out to WSIB for comment on Sunday, but we have not heard back.

With files from CTV News Toronto’s Jermaine Wilson