Ex-Nortel workers: Cutting off the disabled

Any bankruptcy is painful. Workers lose their jobs and creditors can lose their shirts — but there is usually a chance to bounce back.

Not so for Nortel employees who were on long-term disability payments at the time their employer went bankrupt nearly two years ago. They can’t start over. Yet their disability payments will be cut off at the end of this month, after the Conservatives used their new majority in the Senate to defeat efforts to keep them above water.

Read the full story on the Toronto Star.

Ontario Launches Workplace Health & Safety Contact Centre

Ontario has launched a new toll-free number -- 1-877-202-0008 -- to report workplace health and safety incidents or unsafe work practices, or for general inquiries.

On November 1, 2010, the Ministry of Labour launched a Health & Safety Contact Centre, which allows anyone, anywhere in Ontario to call one number to report a workplace health and safety incident, critical injury, fatality or work refusal. The public can also call that number if they suspecy unsafe work practices or for general inquiries. The number operates 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

Before the launch, separate numbers existed for each provincial region. With one number, Ontario is creating a more efficient and streamlined phone system for workplaces and the public to contact the Ministry.

Source: CIEN Magazine Article

For more information, see the Ministry of Labour's Website

Human rights tribunal slams Toronto police

The Human Rights Tribunal of Ontario says Toronto police must undergo training for dealing with internal complaints after a former constable was “stripped of her dignity as a woman.” The respondents shall jointly and severally pay to the applicant $20,000.00 as compensation for injury to her dignity, feelings and self-respect.

Toronto Star article.
http://www.thestar.com/news/article/874400--human-rights-tribunal-slams-toronto-police

The case on CanLii
http://www.canlii.org/en/on/onhrt/doc/2010/2010hrto2037/2010hrto2037.html

Migrant Workers Protest on Thanksgiving

Justicia for Migrant Workers is organizing a march this Thanksgiving weekend to draw attention to the working conditions that many temporary foreign workers face while working in Ontario.

For more information about this march, please read this Toronto Star article.

WSIB raises premiums & Logging Companies will see a 9.1% increase to $12.47 per $100 of Pay

Ontario's troubled insurance plan for injured workers says it will increase premiums while outside advisers study solutions for its staggering losses.

The Workplace Safety and Insurance Board, which already has the highest premiums in Canada, announced Thursday it will increase its premiums by an average of 4.3 per cent by 2012.

President David Marshall says the increase is less than would be required to eliminate annual deficits, and to start eliminating a $12 billion shortfall in the WSIB’s reserve fund.

The average WSIB premium is to increase by 5 cents in 2011 and 5 cents in 2012, bringing the total premium to $2.40 per $100 of pay. But premiums vary widely by industry sector, and so will the percentage increases next year.

Some sectors will see no increase, but logging companies will see a 9.1 per cent increase to $12.47 per $100 of pay, and vehicle assemblers will see a 13.5 per cent increase to $3.44 per $100.

Read the full article on the Toronto Star .

Migrant Worker Deaths Spark Protests

On Wednesday, September 22, 2010, The Toronto Star reported on the workplace deaths of Paul Roach and Ralston White at an apple farm in Ontario. Both of these individuals were seasonal migrant farm workers from Jamaica.

The deaths of these two men further highlights the importance of workplace health and safety programs. A protest is scheduled to be held today at 12:00 at the Ontario Ministry of Labour to highlight the issues faced by migrant workers.

Are your Workplace Safety and Insurance Board concerns being heard?

The Fair Practices Commission released their 2009 Annual Report.

The Fair Practices Commission is an independent office working to promote and ensure fair practices in the workplace safety and insurance system in Ontario. The Fair Practices Commission is an Ombudsman for the Workplace Safety and Insurance Board(WSIB).

There are three main goals of the Fair Practices Commission:

• To listen to the concerns that injured workers, employers, and service providers have
• To resolve fairness issues quickly
• To identify recurring trends and system-wide issues and report them to the WSIB with recommendations for improvements.

The top 10 ranking of complaints by subject in 2009:

1. benefits
2. health care
3. return to work
4. labour market re-entry
5. appeals process
6. non economic loss
7. employer assessment issues
8. expenses
9. permanent disability
10. loss of earning (LOE) 72 month review

According to the Commission one of the most common concerns is that WSIB has taken too long to make a decision, to send a written decision, or respond to calls or letters.

If you have concerns about the WSIB you can contact the Fair Practices Commission at 1-866-258-4383 and tell them your WSIB concerns or online.