‘Growing epidemic’: workplace injuries on the rise

A new analysis shows the number of workplace injuries caused by violence in Manitoba more than tripled between 2015 and last year.

To continue reading, please subscribe: Digital Subscription One year of digital access for only $205* - Enjoy unlimited reading on winnipegfreepress.com - Read the E-Edition, our digital replica newspaper - Access News Break, our award-winning app - Play interactive puzzles To continue reading, please subscribe: Add Free Press access to your Brandon Sun subscription for only an additional $1 for the first 4 weeks* A new analysis shows the number of workplace injuries caused by violence in Manitoba more than tripled between 2015 and last year. The Manitoba Federation of Labour released a new report on Monday detailing what it calls “a longstanding and growing epidemic.”

The 57-page document includes first-hand accounts of violent experiences in various health-care, education, emergency response, security, public transit and retail sectors. It also includes 10 recommendations for elected officials and employers. “The level of workforce violence in Manitoba seems daunting,” federation president Kevin Rebeck told a news conference at Union Centre in downtown Winnipeg.

“Because it is.” There were nearly 2,200 workplace violence injuries — including physical and psychological incidents — reported to the workers compensation board in 2025. One decade earlier, there were 641.

Researcher Karen Naylor called the findings, including what was said during 38 interviews with front-line staff, “damning.” Naylor, a labour studies instructor at the University of Manitoba, interviewed members of the federation that represents 130,000 unionized employees in urban and rural communities. Far too often, interviewees said their managers either disregarded or blamed them for their injuries, the academic said, noting this was especially an issue in health care and education.

Ten occupations represented nearly 80 per cent of all time-loss workplace violence injuries in 2025. This group includes nurses, social service workers, education assistants, bus drivers, security guards, correctional service officers and early childhood educators. Home support workers, housekeepers and related occupations accounted for more than 14 per cent of all of the time-loss injuries last year.

The report indicated women are “disproportionately” affected by this workplace issue. In 2024, the latest available data, these employees accounted for about six in 10 of all time-loss injuries. Notably, approximately a quarter of the province’s total workforce is not covered by the Workers Compensation Board of Manitoba.

These statistics exclude the Manitoba Teachers Society’s 17,000-person membership. The report also noted violent incidents are also underreported. Rebeck said they’ve come up with 10 “common sense recommendations,” such as enforcing existing legislation, to better protect workers.

The first of 10 identifies the need for a provincial workplace violence prevention strategy. Others include calls to fund safe staffing levels, deploy “highly trained” security personnel and develop a formal training standard. While noting there are regulations requiring workplaces to assess violence hazards, Rebeck said there’s “no evidence” the province has ever undertaken an enforcement campaign in this area.

“If violent hazards are not assessed — it goes without saying — they won’t be addressed,” he said. Labour Minister Malaya Marcelino was not immediately available for comment Monday. maggie.macintosh@freepress.mb.ca

Maggie Macintosh Education reporter Maggie Macintosh reports on education for the Free Press. Originally from Hamilton, Ont., she first reported for the Free Press in 2017. Read more about Maggie.

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