As the lockout at the WSIB approaches its second week, the WSIB management are dragging their heels on issuing a pass. The OCEU bargaining team issued a complete counterproposal back to the employer on June 1st but have yet to receive a fulsome response.
“It’s like they aren’t taking the strike seriously,” said Harry Goslin, President of OCEU/CUPE 1750. “Our members are out on the picket lines because they are overworked and feel disrespected by the employer, and these delay tactics are just a manifestation of that disrespect.”
“The employer made the union wait four days for a pass last week,” added Nicole Francis, OCEU/CUPE 1750’s chief steward. “Their lack of meaningful engagement in this process is deeply frustrating.”
The union is hoping to get a meaningful solution to the workload problem which is causing elevated rates of burnout and mental health leaves among their members, as well as a deal that will allow the members to catch up to the spending power they had before Bill C-124 froze their wages.
“We have been told the treasury board is advising the employer not to offer us a fair wage deal,” said Goslin. “Seeing as the WSIB isn’t taxpayer funded, we’re not sure why the treasury board is involved at all.”