May 14, 2002

WCB Cuts

Information overload is a tactic employed in Campbell's New Era. A blitzkrieg of bad news is released so as to overwhelm reporters and commentators. WCB cuts were tabled on what could be called "Bad News for Labour Day". One after the other, legislation amending the Workers Compensation Act, the Employment Standards Act and the Labour Code were introduced to the legislature. The image of cuts to compensation for injured workers now marks the first anniversary of Gordon Campbell's election landslide.

The Campbell government announced cuts to Worker Compensation Benefits the same way its political spin-masters talked about cuts to other strands in the social safety net. Its news release is headlined "WCB changes ensure sustainable protection for injured workers". When the Campbell government slashed auxiliary health services (eye exams, physiotherapy, chiropractic, etc.) it offered the defense that it was "protecting care" and achieving "fairness". When Pharmacare was cut the Campbell government spun numbers about how much of total prescription costs were paid by various provincial governments, and then argued that BC should not be at the top. The same type of argument was given when legal aid was cut.

For a person making $40,000 per year, the WCB change amounts to a cut of just over 9% in monthly benefits. Until now the Workers' Compensation Board of BC paid benefits equal to 75% of gross pay. A person earning $40,000 per year was eligible for $2,500 per month in benefits. BC has now been reduced to the Alberta standard where that same person receives 90% of net pay (gross less EI, CPP and "usual tax") for a monthly benefit of $2,276.78 - a difference of $223.22. (pdf)  In Ontario a worker is eligible for slightly less - 85% of normal take home earnings.

Nothing was said during the election campaign about cutting benefits for sick or injured workers in BC. The only reference to the WCB in Campbell's New Era Document was a promise to "make the Workers' Compensation Board more responsive to workers' and employers' needs."

It is not necessary to drag BC to the bottom on every measure of protection. Lowering benefits is not a way to make the WCB more responsive.