When Canadians are injured on the job, they depend on the expertise and dedication of workers at the Workers’ Compensation Boards (WCBs) across the country. But as workloads intensify and staffing pressures mount, those same workers are warning that delays in care are becoming unavoidable. That message was front and centre at a national conference of WCB unions held this week, bringing together delegates from the Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE), the National Union of Public and General Employees (NUPGE), and the Public Service Alliance of Canada (PSAC).
Over several days, delegates from across the country examined the growing challenges facing compensation boards and the workers who keep them running. Key topics included:
- Collective bargaining trends, mobilization and strike readiness, workload escalation and staffing shortages, legislative reform to expand coverage, the impact of artificial intelligence on job security and service quality, grievance trends, and more…
Delegates emphasized that the strain on WCB staff is directly affecting injured workers who rely on timely decisions, fair adjudication, and consistent support.
Laura Snow, President of the Compensation Employees Union (CEU/NUPGE): “WCB staff are stretched to the breaking point. Excessive workloads prevent us from giving injured workers the timely, quality service they deserve.”
Erin LeForte, First Vice President Local 55 of the Nova Scotia Government and General Employees Union: “A strong compensation system depends on prevention, fairness, and adequate staffing. Injured workers cannot wait because governments fail to support the people who run the system.”
Harry Goslin, President of OCEU/CUPE 1750: “Governments must modernize compensation laws to ensure no worker is without coverage and address workload pressures. Strengthening prevention and enforcement is essential to protecting workers and the staff who serve them.”
The conference concluded with a shared commitment from all participating unions to intensify advocacy efforts, strengthen inter provincial coordination, and push for legislative reforms that protect both injured workers and the employees who serve them.
