Surrey Whalley NDP candidate Bruce Ralston marked the National Day of Mourning with two minutes of silence at a noon hour ceremony today. He was joined by a number of union representatives including from CUPE Local 728, ILWU Local 502 (Longshore), Retail Wholesale and COPE 378.
“Today is the day that we mourn for the dead, and recommit to fighting for the living,” Ralston said.
Ralston said that controversial changes made by the Campbell government to the Workers Compensation Board (WCB) have resulted in massive cost-savings for employers but has come at a profound cost to injured workers.
A recent report by the BC Federation of Labour shows the Campbell government's changes to WCB were based entirely on the false claim that the existing compensation system was unsustainable. The changes resulted in huge cost-savings for employers but have destroyed the lives of seriously injured workers.
“The Liberal record of attack on working people is shameful. They have failed workers and their families,” Ralston said.
Whalley resident Pat Pollock said he has seen workers ignored and injury claims constantly being challenged by WCB. “The most extreme consequences of the changes are the effective elimination of loss of earnings pensions and the virtual elimination of vocational rehabilitation services,” said Pollock.
“This has had a negative economic impact on thousands of permanently injured workers and their families.”
