'All in the same boat,' Hamilton workers on strike for weeks in various sectors band together

As a return-to-work specialist for Ontario's Workplace Safety and Insurance Board (WSIB), Justin Dailey helps people get back to their jobs following injuries. 

These days, the Hamilton man would like to return to work himself. 

Along with about 3,600 colleagues, Dailey has been on strike since May 22. Members of the Ontario Compensation Employees Union (OCEU) — also called Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE) Local 1750 — walked off the job, calling out a "toxic" workplace and saying they were unable to reach an agreement with their employer. Soon after, workers said WSIB locked them out, and the strike continued. 

"We care about the quality of work that we provide to our injured workers and we can't get back to that, and so we're suffering, the injured workers are suffering. It's a challenging time," Dailey told CBC Hamilton after a morning of picketing during last week's heat wave outside the downtown WSIB offices.

Dailey and his colleagues are some of the Hamilton workers, with different employers, who've spent late spring and early summer on picket lines. They include workers with Hamilton Water, delivery company DHL Express Canada and Canadian Hearing Services (CHS). All have varying reasons and circumstances for being on strike.

But two workers told CBC Hamilton they're in it together.

"We're all fighting this systemic kind of attack on unions, but specifically workers. It's almost like [employers] want us to be satisfied with the scraps that they're giving us, which I don't agree with," Dailey said, adding his union has rallied with other striking unions and the Hamilton and District Labour Council.  

"Hamilton is a very strong union city."

On Friday, OCEU/CUPE 1750 issued a news release calling on the employer "to stop stalling and bring forward a fair deal" by Canada Day. The union said WSIB hasn't shared a contract proposal since June 15, and that they want its "best and final offer."

Aaron Lazarus, vice-president of communications at WSIB, told CBC Hamilton that negotiations are ongoing and the employer does not plan to issue a formal final offer by Tuesday. On the prospect of a deal, he said WSIB is "as hopeful as ever." 

WSIB is offering an above-inflation wage increase and proposed improving a committee on workload to address members' concerns, Lazarus said, adding caseloads have come down from a 2021 high. 

Dailey said wages and workload are important issues for him and his colleagues, who are struggling with burnout. For his position, Dailey said, having around 30 cases is comfortable, but he had around 40.

"We are a system here. If there's a strain on one area or department, it's a strain on all of us," Dailey said. "We all just want to get back to work to help the public."

"We want them back too," Lazarus said, adding WSIB is operating at 40 per cent of its normal capacity, but can still help injured workers and register new claims and businesses.