JUNE 1, 2023

WHEREAS, decades of struggle by workers and their unions have created many health and safety regulations and an employer funded Workers Compensation System for times when those safeguards fail; and

WHEREAS, statistics show that over 2000 employees die and hundreds of thousands are injured and made ill each year in Ontario because of accidents that occur while they are at work and the reality is that many of these accidents and deaths could have been prevented; and

WHEREAS, Injured Worker’s groups continually lobby ad advocate in support of workers killed, injured or made ill at the workplace with little response from the government or the Workplace Safety and Insurance Board; and

WHEREAS, every year on June 1st, workers gather to commemorate the more than 3000 workers, who on June 1st, 1983, rallied at the Legislature in Toronto to raise their concerns with the actions of the Government; which led to positive changes being made to improve the compensation system for workers; and

WHEREAS, we recognize the tireless work of the volunteers from the Thunder Bay & district Injured Workers Support group, who have continued the tradition of lobbying and advocacy that has helped thousands of workers and their families over the past forty years.

NOW THEREFORE, I, the Mayor of the City of Thunder Bay, do hereby proclaim June 1, 2023 as Injured Workers Day in the City of Thunder Bay.