The Workplace Safety and Insurance Board is cutting 466 jobs across the province, in a move the union calls a “gut punch.”

The organization says it has made a “difficult business decision to consolidate” the roles of some back-office staff who work remotely.

Affected employees are in Sudbury, Windsor, Thunder Bay, St. Catharines, Guelph, Sault Ste. Marie, Kingston, North Bay and Timmins.

The Ontario Compensation Employees Union, an arm of Canadian Union of Public Employees, says it has been informed that another 155 jobs will be cut in Waterloo in about a year.

Union president Harry Goslin says it will mean delays in service for people injured on the job.

The WSIB says there will still be local teams in those regions providing in-person support for people returning to work.