CUPE: WSIB CEO Misled Minister and Public, Leaked Internal Memo Shows

TORONTO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--The Ontario Compensation Employees Union (OCEU/CUPE 1750) is renewing its call for accountability at the Workplace Safety and Insurance Board (WSIB), after revelations the union first brought forward, a growing claims backlog and costly shortcuts, which continue to be downplayed and denied by WSIB leadership. Despite internal evidence to the contrary, WSIB leadership from the CEO on down assured the public and the government that the WSIB was “keeping up,” while the Minister of Labour repeated those false claims in the Legislature.

“For weeks, the Workplace Safety and Insurance Board’s CEO has been telling Ontario that everything is fine, that there’s no backlog and no risk. Now we know that was a lie,” said Harry Goslin, President of OCEU/CUPE 1750. “We have a leaked internal memo from WSIB management that proves the opposite: the backlog is growing, and the system is on fire.”

The internal memo, sent to WSIB staff over the weekend, confirms the agency is taking shortcuts by automatically approving nearly all physical injury claims, even those with delayed reporting, pre-existing conditions, or active employer objections. WSIB admits in the memo that these shortcuts “increased risk” and are only in place to work through the mounting backlog.

What’s worse, the union says, is that Minister of Labour, Immigration, Training and Skills Development of Ontario, David Piccini repeated the CEO’s false reassurances in Question Period, telling MPPs and the public that the WSIB was “keeping up” when the opposite was true.

“If a regular Ontarian lied to their boss, there would be consequences. But somehow Jeffrey Lang, the CEO of the WSIB, thinks he can mislead his boss, mislead the public, and walk away unscathed. That’s unacceptable,” said Goslin. “You don’t get to play by a different set of rules just because you’re at the top.”

The lockout of 3,600 frontline WSIB workers began on May 21. Union members are calling for a fair deal that protects public service standards and ensures injured workers get the support they deserve without delay or deception.

“It’s time for the CEO to answer for this. It’s time for the government to stop covering for WSIB leadership,” said Goslin. “This lockout needs to end. Workers are ready to get back to work and fix the damage that’s been done.”

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