The Canadian Injured Workers Alliance (CIWA) was founded in 1990. The CIWA was formed as an umbrella organization of injured workers groups.
In 1989, a conference brought injured workers groups from across Canada together; this led to the creation of CIWA. These groups included Injured Workers Consultants (Toronto,) United Steelworkers of America, Thunder Bay and District Injured Workers Support Group, and Disabled Forestry Workers of B.C. In 1990, injured workers advocates, including Steve Mantis and Wolfgang Zimmermann, organized the National Conference on Re-Employment of Injured Workers in Ottawa and created CIWA.
CIWA supports local organizing and local groups, and works nationally and beyond to educate workers and the public, protect workers' safety rights, and right to return to safe work.
Sources
- CIWA. Our History. https://www.ciwa.ca/our-history/
- Lakehead University. Canadian Injured Workers Alliance fonds. https://archives.lakeheadu.ca/index.php/canadian-injured-workers-alliance-fonds-2
- Wikipedia. Canadian Injured Workers Alliance. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Canadian_Injured_Workers_Alliance