We’re hopeful we’ll reach a fair and reasonable agreement with the Ontario Compensation Employees Union (OCEU). Unfortunately, there is some misinformation being shared. Here are the facts.
You can also read our service updates for more information about how we’re still here to help during the labour disruption.
| Claim | Fact |
|---|---|
| People with injuries are waiting longer to be triaged and/or receive payment. | We’re achieving our best operating results in a decade. 97% of claims have an allowance decision within 10 days. This is up from 89% in 2019.
Today 82% of people receive their first payment from us within 15 days of filing their claim. This is up from 60% in 2019. |
| Return to work is taking longer. | More than 88% of people with lost-time claims are able to return to work within three months – the best result in almost a decade. The average number of days someone is off work and receiving income support has dropped by 14% since its high in 2021. |
| Critical services to help injured people will stop if there is a strike. | We are always here to help. Our online services are open 24/7 where people can file and see the status of their claim, health benefits and payments, or manage their account.
In the first six weeks of the strike the WSIB registered over 25,000 new claims and issued over 210,000 payments.
You can read our service updates for more information. |
| The WSIB is “outsourcing” return-to-work to “contracted health care providers”. | The WSIB has pre-existing partnerships with public hospitals to deliver specialized care programs. This happens in almost every other jurisdiction and has already been happening in Ontario prior to the labour disruption.
Continuing these partnerships can help address workload concerns. |
| The WSIB is sending 26 jobs to “US firm” Iron Mountain to manage paper and incoming mail. | The WSIB has worked with Iron Mountain Canada for 25 years with all services happening out of their Toronto facilities and done by Canadians. Iron Mountain also does similar work for the Government of Canada and the Government of British Columbia. |
| Claim | Fact |
|---|---|
| There are not enough people to manage claims. | Since 2023, over 100 net new team members have been added to the case management team. We continue to hire more team members. |
| The workload of each case manager is too high. | The average case load for a case manager handling physical injury claims is down 60% from its peak in 2021.
The current offer includes enhancements to a joint workload committee with the union to make further improvements. |
| Training time has been “cut in half” from six months to three. | The onboarding program for a new case manager now includes practical on-the-job training and support and runs for 22 weeks, or approximately six months. |
| WSIB staff need to “catch up” on wage increases. | About 60% of unionized staff appear on the annual sunshine list of public service employees who earn more than $100,000. The WSIB has offered above-inflation wage increases that would mean 75% of unionized staff would earn more than $100,000 per year. |
| WSIB staff are chronically unhappy with their workplace. | In our last employee experience survey, 90% said they plan to be working at the WSIB one year from now, 91% said their manager treats them with respect, and 86% said their manager supports their health and well-being. |
| Executives receive raises while union members are left behind. | Executive compensation has been frozen since 2009. Senior leaders have not been eligible for an annual merit or cost of living salary increase in 16 years. Under successive collective agreements, unionized team members continue to receive annual wage increases. |
| There is a high turnover rate of WSIB staff leaving their jobs. | In 2024, there was a 1.9% turnover rate of people voluntarily leaving the organization. The Canadian average is approximately 11%. |
| Mental health is not supported. | In 2023 the benefits package for all WSIB employees and their families was expanded to include unlimited mental health benefits. This was done outside of the collective agreement process and required no concessions.
In 2024 all employees also became eligible to access free coaching services, including career coaching and specialized coaches for parenting, nutrition, and sleep. |
| Staff benefits are not sufficient. | In addition to unlimited mental health coverage, WSIB employees enjoy extensive medical and paramedical coverage. The latest offer includes multiple improvements, including paramedical services at $1,750 per family member per year. There have also been improvements to benefits for hearing aids, insulin pumps, and new coverage for intraocular lenses and intrauterine devices (IUDs). |
| Claim | Fact |
|---|---|
| The WSIB has locked out its employees. | On Wednesday May 21 OCEU instructed their members to initiate “a full withdrawal of service” the following day, which is a strike. The WSIB initiated its business continuity protocol in response to the strike. |
| The WSIB has asked for concessions. | There are no concessions on the table – in fact the WSIB proposals increase wages, add new benefits, and enhance a joint committee with the union to further reduce workload. |
| The WSIB is refusing to table a “best and final offer” for a vote. | The best agreements are negotiated at the table in partnership with union leaders. The offer from the WSIB would see the average unionized employee’s salary jump from over $98,000 to now over $104,500 while reducing their workload, and improving their benefits coverage. |