Justice for Injured Workers Bike Ride 2018

Spreading the message on wheels 2015-2018

The Ontario Network of Injured Workers Groups (ONIWG) supported four Justice for Injured Workers bike rides / cycletons Justice pour les accidenté(e)s du travail. Local injured worker groups, labour councils, unions, legal and OH&S clinics, community organizations and individual advocates generously hosted and supported the riders.

Why they rode:

to draw public attention to the state of workers’ compensation in Ontario today
to meet with fellow injured workers, share concerns and actions

2018 – held just before the provincial election, the message was “Occupational Disease: The Other Workplace Fatality”. It started with a memorial ride May 26 from Elliot Lake into Massey for the late Jim Hobbs (a McIntyre Powder victim) and all workers who have died from workplace exposures and struggled against a workers compensation system that seems set up to deny.

2017 – riding under the banner “Rights For All “, Peter Page, Richard Hudon, Allen Jones were joined by Nicole Simpson, with the support team of Karl Crevar and Willy Noiles. Dedicated to the memory of Rolly Marentette, labour and injured worker activist, riders travelled through communities in southeastern Ontario from Ottawa, reaching Toronto on June 1st to join the Injured Workers’ Day rally at Queen’s Park.

2016 – through southwestern Ontario from Windsor to Toronto, riders (Richard Hudon, Peter Page, Allen Jones) asked injured workers “what would you do with the $2 billion the WSIB intends to give employers in rate cuts?” and brought their answers to the government on Injured Workers’ Day.

2015 – Richard Hudon and Peter Page (with support of Pierre LeBlanc) initiate the first Justice for Workers Bike Ride to draw attention to current concerns with the WSIB, cycling the 600 km route through southeastern Ontario.

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