All Out for Ontario Injured Workers’ Day June 1

Justice for Injured Workers

The Ontario Network of Injured Workers’ Groups (ONIWG) is calling on everyone to join in its annual Ontario Injured Workers’ Day rally and march on June 1 starting at Queen’s Park in Toronto at 11:00 am. Rallies will also be held in Thunder Bay on May 30, and in Peterborough, Windsor and London on June 1.

This year, June 1 marks the 42nd anniversary of the day in 1983 when injured workers and their allies converged on the Ontario Legislature where the Bill Davis government was holding a one-day hearing for injured workers’ to present their concerns as it prepared to attack the workers’ compensation system. Over 3,500 people came to address the hearings, forcing the government to hold them on the lawn of Queen’s Park. Injured workers’ organizing resulted in the government backing down on its main attacks at the time.

Since then, June 1 has been marked each year by injured workers and their allies, who return to the Legislature to speak out about their conditions and make their demands.

Today, injured workers and their allies stand second to none as an organized force to affirm their rights, which upholds the rights of all workers to dignity and respect. Through their local, provincial and national collectives and organizations, injured workers and their allies are speaking for themselves about their lived experience and what it tells them is required for a workers’ compensation system worthy of the name.

ONIWG launched its “Road to June 1” mobilization at a lively virtual townhall May 1 celebrating May Day, where workers discussed how they are organizing to fight for full compensation as a right and for safe and healthy workplaces. As part of the organizing for June 1, more than 100 injured and ill workers and their allies, alongside over 20 labour organizations have signed onto an open letter demanding the government fix WSIB and end its rebates to employers which are made on the backs of injured workers whose claims are being denied. To read the letter and send a copy to the Ontario government, click here.

Mobilizing is underway to bring hundreds of workers to Queen’s Park on June 1 and people are encouraged to distribute the flyers for the event and send out the social media announcements. To download print files click here.

Leading up to the rallies, on May 31 at 4:00 pm Women of Inspiration are holding an online vigil to remember and honour the injured and ill workers who have passed away. To attend, click here.

All Out to Stand with Injured Workers!

Compensation Is a Right!