On June 1, 1983, over three thousand injured workers forced a government committee looking at major changes to Ontario’s workers’ compensation system to conduct a public hearing on the steps of the Legislature, because there wasn’t enough room inside! Every year since, injured workers and their allies have marked June 1st as Injured Workers’ Day, rallying to celebrate the gains made through united action, raise current concerns – and remind governments we cannot be ignored.
The government is considering whether to pass a law (Bill 118) to officially make June 1st Injured Workers’ Day. It is a day to pay tribute to the value and suffering of injured workers and their families. Officially acknowledging Injured Workers’ Day is a signal to Ontario that injured workers exist, they are no longer hidden, and are an important part of Ontario and Canada.
Join us in asking the government to officially declare June 1st as Injured Workers’ Day!
How you can help:
- Write a letter to the government on what officially recognizing June 1st would mean to you. It does not have to be long and should focus on only on the issue of declaring June 1st Injured Workers Day (we have many other opportunities and avenues to fight for a better system – let’s try to focus the letters on getting this Bill passed!).We hope these letters will be handed to the Minister of Labour on May 30th when this issue will be considered by the government. Send your letter to MPP Jamie West at JWest-QP@ndp.on.ca before Wednesday, May 29th.
- Before May 30th when this issue will be considered, reach out to your local MPP, particularly if they are Conservative or Liberal, and tell them that this issue is important to you and that you want them to pass Bill 118: Injured Workers Day Act, 2023. Find your MPP by typing in your address here: https://www.ola.org/en/members/current.
** We hope you can join us in celebrating Injured Workers Day this June 1st – please click here for details!