Thousands of employees with the Workplace Safety and Insurance Board (WSIB) are now into their sixth week of a strike.
3,600 members of the Ontario Compensation Employees Union (OCEU/CUPE 1750), including 180 members in Windsor, walked off the job on May 21 after contract talks that began in late February did not amount to a tentative agreement.
Carla Mallett, appeals resolutions officer at WSIB and OCEU/CUPE 1750 member, says the union is feeling frustrated at the state of negotiations.
"The WSIB has been asked to provide a final and best offer to the union, we have been waiting with no response, we had hoped that something would be presented by July 1, as of yet there has been no response," Mallett said.
Mallett says the two sides are nowhere near closer to reaching a deal.
"Although there has been a mediator involved, who is communicating back and forth with each party, the WSIB has refused to meet to discuss the issues," she said.
Mallett says stick points remain workloads and wages.
"They again say that they're offering above inflation wages, however, they refuse to acknowledge the time period from 2020 to 2025, where there has been no recognition of the loss of funds since COVID began," Mallett said.
WSIB vice president of communications, Aaron Lazarus says the union has been presented with an offer.
"We've got an offer on the table of above inflation wage increases to see 75 per cent of them make $100,000 or more, which is a lot of money, and we're going to tackle workload together to keep bringing that down, it's already been reduced by 60 per cent, so 60 per cent fewer cases on average per person working, and we hope to bring that down even further," Lazarus said.
In terms of a best and final offer, Lazarus says that needs to be sorted out by both sides at the table.
"The way that negotiations work is that both sides come to the table and then hopefully they reach a tentative agreement where the union leadership will be able to take that to their members for a vote," he said.
"I'm surprised to hear them say that they want to abdicate their responsibility to do that. I think there is a place for them at the table and there is a deal there to be had, they just have to accept yes for an answer."
Lazarus says the WSIB continues to help people with claims.
"So if somebody needs access to healthcare in order to recover and return to work, or needs income replacement so that they can put food on the table and pay their mortgage, or pay their rent while they're off for an injury, all that continues, our services are available on our website 24/7 at WSIB.ca," Lazarus said.
Mallett says OCEU/CUPE 1750 will picket with workers for Canadian Hearing Services, who have been on strike since late April, as Ontario NDP Marit Stiles comes to Windsor on Wednesday for meetings with various union leaders and workers.