OCEU/CUPE 1750 President to Join North Bay Picket Line as WSIB Strike Enters Fourth Week

NORTH BAY, Ontario--(BUSINESS WIRE)--As the strike by Workplace Safety and Insurance Board (WSIB) workers enters its fourth week, the President of the Ontario Compensation Employees Union (OCEU/CUPE 1750), Harry Goslin, will be on the North Bay picket line tomorrow, June 17^th at 10:00 a.m., standing in solidarity with frontline workers demanding safer workloads, fair wages, and an end to outsourcing. The picket line will start at the intersection of Lakeshore and Judge, then proceed to march to the Constituency office of MPP Vic Fideli.

His visit follows the release of a new independent survey by the Occupational Health Clinics for Ontario Workers (OHCOW), which found that WSIB employees are experiencing anxiety and depression at more than twice the national average. The survey, commissioned by the union as a follow-up to a 2023 study, paints a disturbing picture of escalating psychological harm fueled by excessive caseloads, toxic management culture, and a leadership unwilling to address the growing strain on workers.

Where:

• Beginning at the intersection of Lakeshore Blvd. and Judge, marching to MPP Vic Fideli’s office at 219 Main St E, North Bay, ON P1B 1B2.

Time:

• 10:00 a.m.

“Our members are in crisis and the evidence is now undeniable,” said Harry Goslin, President of OCEU/CUPE 1750. “They’ve been raising red flags for years about the toll this work is taking on their mental health. The Ford government and WSIB leadership have ignored them. I’m in North Bay to say enough is enough. We need action, not more delay tactics.”

Since May 21, over 3,600 workers have been on strike across Ontario, marking the first work stoppage in WSIB’s 110-year history. Workers are calling for a fair deal that includes wage increases, improved staffing levels, and protections against the outsourcing of public services to private, U.S.-based firms.

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