Dear Editor,
My name is Kimberly, and I am 45 years old. I live in a small village with a population of 1200 people, mostly farmers and factory workers. I am pleased to have this opportunity to address the public about the injustice that is being worn by many disabled and injured workers. I am also privledged to advocate for the families that lost their son's and daughter's to the many alledged suicides caused by the neglectful system of things associated with Workman's Compensation. In fact, I know of five individuals who took their lives out of the representatives office here in London, Ontario.
There are many reasons why I am writing this letter to you, but for the most part I would like to describe some painful facts, as they relate to a powerful system of injustice. The company that I worked for has been in business for over 100 years. They compete world wide in the very challenging and exciting market's for hard wood flooring. Their principal product is wood. The process of making the flooring demands the ultimate in precision. To make a good order filled, it takes long hours of repetitive and heavy lifting, especially if the order has requested oak. The little company has within itself around 300 or so employee's. We work very hard to fullfil the daily quota's, and the pressure was felt to accomplish these goals, much like David facing foreign Goliaths every day in international competition.
In 1999 and despite the many signs and systems, my pain went into red alert. This was no small feat, as I would be required to take extra medication to discount the pain as much as possible. I was unable to do my job unless I had digested enough medication to keep up the speed. In 2000, I still had about 57% of my physical abilities. Moreover, in February of that year, things had gone badly downhill. The factors that hurt me was not only the "delay" in reporting the severe injuries, but the inability to communicate these injuries to the supervisor over and over again. This would mark my depression.
The final crisis that seriously moved me into the WSIB system, is when my arms, shoulder's went numb-having no feelings at all. I believe that passage of time changed my life forever. The agreement with the company was to immediatley return me to work and offer light duties. Their objective was to rebalance my working field and allow me to regain my strength. (Hoping this would all go away). The one arm position created for me was very short-lived, thus I was back to my regular duties,however, this time I was given a chair. (This would take away the problem). The significant difference in the sourcing decisions the HR.Director made had created many difficult obstacles. In the case of these arrangments, I was speedily passed on to even more critical advantages, because there would not be any position that would be in agreement with my injuries.
Major discrimination developed, enabling hand picked deligates to compete over stressors given to me, in hope that I would quit or get fired. The recent purchase of my new home, coupled with fear of my security increased the knawing pain. I finally recognized that I was in the companies snare. Needless to say, I was very naive and my experience would worsen futher to the point of walking off my job.
My fagile self could not remember the woman who never formally complained, I was the spine of my family and a clever woman with a will like sharp steel. I would not be intimidated by the man's world of work because I believed that I could count in the lives of others. This was a healthy and necessary value to my existence as a whole woman. The inner urging to move ahead to a new approach to an old problem, to learn a new skill, always beckoned me toward new horizons. I evidently was too naive to think that compensation would show concern and keep me moving along in my recovery.
The subject of today's letter cannot impact two other major issues that have harmed my life and others; the overvalued policies and procedures and the general attitudes, have kept my life suspended for three years now. I am emotionally depleted as I have watched my past, present, and future slip away. (What overwhelming powerlessness). I am financially bankrupt, and my relationship of eight years has buckled under the strain of it all. My disabilities have changed my course in life, and I need to take refudge after washing and waxing my kitchen floor.
Recapturing all that is lost is no longer my preoccupation. I could never estimate the loss. Passage of time only gives momentum for intellectual poverty and feeds into low standards, ranging from depression to taking one's life. That has become the reality to this faceless conscience. Despite being a tough determined, or some might say a very small determined soul-I try very hard, and still believe there is a solution.
The overall solution, the climate, and the ability to be heard, given the resources to employ them is given to you today. I believe that this process you have offered can make a tremedous difference.
You know, after all that is said and done, the critical factor is but a very simple one. "I am only asking these people to value my life. This would promote positive solutions, if given the chance. It seems that the system would rather train you for self-destruction. Perhaps the hottest topic for employers and WSIB is who can destroy the person more efficiently. Let me not forget the lawyers. Somehow, you find yourself in a tornado of red-tape and politics. "What does that have to do with my injury or disability?" I hope I have made some sense of this complicated matter. Three years of my life suspended in this mess has taken its toll. However, there is hope. I came across this opportunity as you have allowed me to write. I believe you are worthy of thorough consideration
Thank you
Kimberly