Social Services

Local 793’s social services department helps members with Canada Pension Plan, Employment Insurance, health and safety, and Workplace Safety and Insurance Board (WSIB) questions and concerns.

The department oversees:

• Claims, appeals and return-to-work issues with the WSIB;
• Disability appeals to the Canada Pension Plan (CPP);
• Employment Insurance;
• Health and safety issues.

The department is dedicated to helping Local 793 members understand what assistance is available.

The social services department was formed in 1998. It was originally called the compensation and safety Department.

On Jan. 1, 1998, Bill 99 came into effect, changing the Workers’ Compensation Board to the WSIB. The legislation denied unionized workers access to no-cost government agencies that provide WSIB representation and added many changes, including appeals time limits.

As a result of the legislation, Local 793 business manager Mike Gallagher decided that the union needed to expand the scope of the local’s representation to include assisting members with WSIB issues.

This led to the creation of the compensation and safety department, supervised by Joe Redshaw, president of the union.

Business manager Gallagher later changed the name of the department to the social services department to reflect the fact that CPP disability appeals were part of the mandate.

The department works with the appropriate government and industry associations and helps members navigate through the complex claims processes.

The department also assists members in filing claims and completing the necessary paperwork.

To find out how the social services department can help, call Local 793’s head office at 905-469-9299, or toll-free 1-877-793-4863, or contact the department via email at socialservices@iuoelocal793.org.