Alberta Network

The Alberta Network of Injured Workers have written a letter to the Honourable Murray Smith Minister of Labour to illustrate to him with facts that the Workers Compensation Board (WCB) is in serious violation and contravention of the Workers Compensation Act. (WC)

One year ago on April 2 1998 Mr. Smith made this statement to the newspapers "Any suggestion that the WCB has failed claimants who are forced to turn to welfare is a serious allegation." But yet in the last few days of the Legislature, facing exactly those circumstances where his own colleagues have brought forward serious creditable allegations of WCBs systematic "off loading" of claim costs from Victims of Workplace Accidents onto the unsuspecting taxpayer funded system.

Also as illustrated by the local Newspapers, articles of shear devastation of Injured Workers lives who are at their weakest moment and vulnerable to WCBs blatant denials and abuses of their fundamental right to be compensated.

Victim of Workplace Accidents who have chronic or severe long term injuries are systematically denied benefits and forced onto the social taxpayers system or turning to their families and friends for support.

On May 6, 1999 Mr. Smith stated in the legislature to the WCB Liberal critic Mr. Bill Bonner " that not one red taxpayers cent is spent to fund the WCB" technically he was correct. The WCB has found another way of getting rid of their obligations and liabilities, through the back door, by off loading onto the taxpayers system such as; Alberta Health Care, Alberta Income security for the severely Handicapped (AISH), Canadian Pension Plan (CPP), Employment Insurance (EI), and the Welfare System which is in direct violation of the Meredith Principle.

The WCB Policy Consultation process that Mr. Smith purportedly thinks is working so well is an absolute disgrace and sham. The WCBs process that took place in Calgary Alberta on March 24 and 25 1999 was the worst farce that Injured Workers and Employers ever witnessed. What took place was an exercise in futility by the stakeholders that attended. The stakeholders were frustrated by the focus and direction that was a simple exercise in "word smithing." The stakeholders were unrelenting in their attempt to discuss the implementation and interruption of the policies and proceeders.

In this appalling process (naval gazing exercise) Injured Workers who spoke candidly about blatant abuse within were intimidated by a concerted effort to stifle their input by bring in case managers that were directly involved with these very same Injured Workers claims. So much for confidentiality!!! (coercion)

How can Injured Workers or Employers have confidence in a process that WCB orchestrated to review itself until the year 2001 or beyond? Stakeholders initiated a vote at the plenary session where well over 3/4 of the participants were not even informed or consulted about the Board of directors 5 year strategic plan. What is in this document is a total disregard for the obligations to Injured Workers which severs the Meredith Principle and only talks about the Employers funded aspect. Even more outrageous was the fact that these very same stakeholders that were at the March 24 and 25 process were totally unaware of the existence of this 5 year strategic plan
 

The Alberta Network of Injured Workers wonders how much more evidence (destroyed lives) is enough to call for a Public Inquiry? This out of control agency (WCB-Alberta) was created by the Government of the day and Mr. Stockwell Day who authored Bill# 16 that created this monster, where it allowed the Board of Directors to have free rein over the lives of Victims of Workplace Accidents. (Monopoly)

We have also made the Minister aware of the case in Medicine Hat Alberta, involving transit workers and methanol, last report was that a gentleman was dying from this methanol poisoning, plus four others that are suffering from the same affliction, all have been denied compensation in Alberta. Also the Judge in this case was quoted as saying "he found the WCB process to be so unfairly biased against Injured Workers that it offends the basic principals of Natural Justice."

The 87% satisfied Injured Workers that the WCB boasts about, is most interesting! As this is only 20% of their liabilities. Let me also apprise you all of the fact of the 80-20% rule where in this particular case 80% (or there about) of claimants are satisfied and the 20% are rejected. To further this and or conversely 80% of the claims are short term which only accounts for 20% of WCBs liability. I make not a light point of the 20% 0f systematic denials which would account for 80% of the liabilities for the WCB. This would explain the systemic corrupt practices (rotten within) where WCB systematically denies this 20% (or there about). This is how WCB demonstrates that it is a successful "independent corporation."

Another burning question that Injured Workers of Alberta had was that in 1991 the WCB-Alberta had a Unfunded liability of $601 million and by 1998 had a balance of $346 million. That figures out to $947 million difference in 7 years and were employers premiums have dropped to $1.05 per one hundred dollars wages the lowest in North America. (That is not a spinning of the actuary) just think of it, how is it possible! Unless of course something has been cut, slashed, trimmed etc... "BLANKET DENIALS OF INJURED WORKERS BENEFITS. Let us not forget the stabilization reserves that were at $203 million in 1997 and $116 million in occupational disease reserves for fictitious disasters. The WCB is dispersing the money into these reserves so no one will see that they are actually making a profit in a non-profit corporation. If this is in fact for occupational diseases, then what happened to the Victims in Medicine Hat Alberta that had contacted methanol poisoning at their place of employment.

The Legislature, Injured Workers and citizens of Alberta have been lied to by the President and CEO of the WCB regarding a letter dated April 8, 1998 dealing with medical panels that were tabled in Bill # 204 because the presidents commitment to adopted these medical panels that would have legislated fairness for Injured Workers as stated in the Bill.(We asked the Minister of Labour how much is enough)

Nancy Saul-Demers spokes woman for the WCB Alberta Stated to the newspapers "The WCB severed its arms length relationship with the Government and that the WCB of Alberta is already privatized." Injured workers of the province have been stating this for years to no avail, but thanks to Nancy Saul-demers the truth has come forward. This shows the "Grandeur" powers that the WCB of Alberta has (Carte Blanche) as well they believe they are above reproach they have become the evil of all evils in Alberta.

When will this out of control agency (WCB) be accountable tp the Workers, Employers, Injured Workers or the Citizens of Alberta???

Where is our elected government who was suppose to be the "big brother" watching over the WCB but instead has allowed this epidemic to manifest???
 

The Alberta Network of Injured Workers has respectfully requested the Minister of Labour to direct a full public inquiry into the board of directors handling of the WCB-Alberta which was setup to be a self serving entity onto its own.