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February 14, 2007 The Honourable Steven Mahoney, P.C. Chair Workplace Safety and Insurance Board 200 Front Street West, 17th Floor Toronto, Ontario M5V 3J1 Dear Mr. Mahoney: I am writing to you regarding your quotes which appeared in at least two recent news articles. The first is that an “‘accidents will happen’ mentality exists among Ontario’s employers, union leaders and workers....” The second is that the number of deaths this year is “reflective of a systemic problem in the province”. Organized labour has been at the forefront of fighting for better workplace safety for decades. We have never accepted that “accidents just happen”. We have never accepted that workplace injury, illness and death are just the price some have to pay to earn a living. When the union leaders on the Ontario Federation of Labour Board discuss workplace health and safety issues, no one feels that accidents just happen, I don’t know what labour leaders you have been speaking to but it certainly has not been one connected to the OFL. Workers certainly do not go to work thinking “accidents will happen”. In fact, from time to time I am able to speak to workers who do not belong to a union and they tell me of the fear they have going to work because their employer is only interested in how much work they can get out of them. They tell me that if they try to exercise their rights to fight for a safer workplace they will be punished and that this government turns their back on workers who face reprisals. I agree with your comments that there is a troubling pattern of death and injury in Ontario and that there is a systemic problem in the province. I thank you for exposing this government’s failure and the WSIB’s failure to address what is really happening in Ontario workplaces. I would propose to you a three point plan for the WSIB to begin to better address this problem: - End the experience rating program which is only reducing claims not injuries - Ensure the WSIB stops simply talking about workplace health and safety and starts working proactively on its number one mandate under the WSIA - Introduce a comprehensive accreditation program that will recognize real prevention efforts on the part of employers I would also ask that you join me in approaching the Minister of Labour to provide real reprisal protection for all workers who struggle to ensure they can go home safe and healthy at the end of their shift. Sincerely, Wayne Samuelson President WS/VE/jm cope343 Honourable Steve Peters, Minister of Labour Irene Harris, Terry Downey OFL Executive Board and Council Vernon Edwards From the Ontario Federation of Labour's web site: http://ofl.ca/index.php/message_from_the_president/index_in/965/