Who we are
Our group was formed in February 1999 with the assistance of Injured Workers Community Legal Clinic (IWC). Members are mainly workers who speak Chinese (Cantonese, Mandarin and other Chinese dialects). We:
- Support Ontario’s Chinese injured workers
- Share information on workers’ compensation concerns
- Fight for injured workers’ rights in the workplace
- Participate in law reform activities to protect and improve injured workers’ rights
How to contact us
We meet at the IWC office at 815 Danforth Ave, Suite 411, Toronto, Ontario M4J 1L2 (between Pape and Donlands subways)
New members are always welcome – if you are interested in joining us or getting more information about our group, please contact Rebecca Lok at phone: (416) 461-2411 or email lokr@lao.on.ca.
Activities and action
We are part of the injured worker community that raises public awareness on worker’s compensation issues and lobbies the government through rallies such as Injured Workers’ Day, May pickets, and Labour Day parade.
We meet with Ministry of Labour and WSIB officials to discuss in persons problems we and other injured workers face, and have worked with the Board to provide input on Chinese translated material. In advocating for change, we make make presentations, such as those to the 2011 WSIB Funding Review, and written submissions, such as the 2017 letter on deeming and the minimum wage (Bill 148) and the 2012 written submission on changes to the appeals system. Members are active in the current Workers’ Comp Is A Right campaign. In September 2019 as a group [read letter] we urged the Attorney General to restore funding to legal aid clinics – and increase it so front line services have the resources to assist injured workers who have language barriers.
Recent meetings have included sessions on dealing with mental stress and using social media. And in September of 2015, three of our group graduated from the first Chinese Injured Workers Speakers School! We often participate in joint campaigns and meetings with other injured workers’ groups, and our members are are particularly active in the Justice Choir