Ontario WSIB Workers Launch Rolling Strikes Over Workload and Wage Concerns

Toronto, May 22, 2025 — Unionized employees of Ontario’s Workplace Safety and Insurance Board (WSIB), represented by the Ontario Compensation Employees Union (OCEU), have commenced rolling strikes across the province today and are set to continue tomorrow. This action follows a 96% strike vote on May 1, highlighting unresolved issues around excessive workloads, wage stagnation, and outsourcing concerns. Construct Connect

The strikes are impacting WSIB offices in multiple cities, including Toronto, Ottawa, and Windsor. The union criticizes WSIB management for providing $4 billion in rebates to employers this year while neglecting to invest in improving working conditions or expanding coverage to the 1.56 million workers in Ontario not currently covered by WSIB.

Adding to the tension, WSIB plans to lay off 26 workers as it finalizes a contract with Iron Mountain, a U.S.-based firm, to digitize and retrieve old case files. The union argues that outsourcing this work undermines Canadian jobs and could compromise service quality.

In response, WSIB has stated that it will continue to process claims and provide income support during the labor disruption, with automated payments covering the majority of claims. New claims will be prioritized based on urgency.

WHSIB training is crucial to all employees and in particular in the Construction Industry.

A media availability is scheduled for noon today at the Toronto headquarters, with representatives from CUPE Ontario, OPSEU, and the Ontario Federation of Labour expected to attend.