Dear Members,

First, we would just like to start by saying we hope each and everyone of our members is able to enjoy this four-day weekend and we anticipate everyone will continue practicing social distancing, as virtual Easter celebrations should be the order of the day.  These past few weeks have no doubt weighed heavy on everyone and we hope that you can find some peace and solace amidst this time of crisis and if you are very lucky maybe even a little laughter.

Your Union has been working tirelessly these past four weeks and we hope that we are providing you with much needed information in an accurate and timely fashion.  Our goal, as always is to act and respond in the best interest of the membership and if for any reason you feel that we are falling short on your behalf we encourage you to reach out and share your concerns.

Many Leaders know that a crisis such as what we are in with this COVID-19 pandemic can allow them room or opportunity to impose transformative change.  As Union leaders and activists, we need to be ever mindful of this and continue to question the actions and decisions of our Employers.

In this time of high crisis your Union is more than willing to not only collaborate but cooperate with our Employer, however, what we are not prepared to do is abdicate all the language in our C.A. for it, or put members at risk.

What your Union expects is that all steps being taken now that affect our members are deemed necessary, are acted upon fairly, justly and without bias, and that all decisions are transparent.

In the face of this pandemic your Union realizes that extreme measures may be necessary and with that may come the need for extraordinary powers, as a result this will require extraordinary scrutiny.  You can trust that we are doing our best to ensure the later is upheld and that your worker rights in all areas are not lost, forgotten or shoved aside for any personal or political agenda.

Stay strong, stay resilient, and always stay safe….

In Solidarity

CUPE 411 Executive

Dear Members,

It has come to our attention that several members have been contacted by the School Districts Human Resources Department and asked to disclose information pertaining to their pre-existing medical conditions, or medical conditions of those that they live with.

The Employer is not entitled to ask a worker for a diagnosis. Not in the past, and not at this time either.  The acceptable response to an inquiry from H.R. regarding your pre-existing condition would be as follows:

“Yes, I have a pre-existing medical condition that affects me with COVID-19” (FULL STOP)

OR

“Yes, I live with someone who is immune compromised that affects them with COVID-19” (FULL STOP)

Indicate to H.R. that you are more than willing to work from home, if you have the capabilities to do so and if your particular position with the District would allow for that and be creative in your ideas on how you can do that (i.e. E.A.’s can support teacher’s via Team’s with their students).

If the Employer or their representatives continue to pressure you for medical information advise them you would like to speak with your Union representative and will follow up with them via email.  Please know that you cannot be disciplined for withholding private medical information for yourself or a family member that you live with.

The Employer is permitted to ask if you have symptoms that pertain to COVID-19 (i.e. fever, dry cough, difficulty breathing), and if you are presenting these symptoms you should remain at home, or if they persist or worsen seek medical attention.

It is the Union’s understanding that if the Employer is not agreeable to you working from home and you cannot come into the worksite due to medical concerns then you will be put on Administrative Leave and paid as though you were working.  You are not required to use your sick bank and for now this arrangement should be honoured until April 30, 2020.  We cannot speak to what will happen after that date as the Government is going to review what is happening in the various Districts over the next couple of weeks and will provide further direction accordingly.

If you are unclear on any of this please contact your respective Shop Steward or email unionoffice@cupe411.ca and someone will contact you with further direction.

In Solidarity

CUPE 411 Executive

Good Evening Members,

Today your Union received a document titled “School Based Supervision” this appears to be the guidelines that the District said they would follow and share, this document also includes the Public Health Guidelines with an Employer-based plan. We feel confident our Employer will follow these guidelines and if you have questions about anything contained in this document you need to ask your Administrator or Manager. This document can be found on the School Districts SharePoint site in the section identified as “COVID-19”. Everyone working on the childcare initiative should have had this shared with them today, we are not sure how it will be shared with our other member’s but everyone needs to read it.

At minimum the Employer is required to follow the guidelines and direction that come from the Ministry of Health regarding COVID-19, although it is well within their power to enhance those health and safety protocols should they so desire.  The majority of this information can be found on the BC CDC website.

The Ministry of Education have directed each school district in the province to follow these four (4) guiding principles as they make plans for students amidst this COVID-19 pandemic:

1. Ensure a health and safe environment for all students, families and employees.
2. Provide the services needed to support children of our essential workers.
3. Support vulnerable students who may need special assistance.
4. Provide continuity of educational opportunities for all students.

Since the Government declared the province of BC to be in a “State of Emergency”, this now means that all of B.C.’s public employees will be required, wherever possible, to support the efforts in managing this pandemic; not only in the K-12 system but possibly other sectors.

For those that are struggling in various ways outside of the workplace, we are doing our best to share resources that may be of interest and able to support you through this difficult time.  The FSEAP is an extended benefit provider that all of our permanent members can access with complete confidentiality and we urge everyone to take advantage of the many services that they have to offer.

If we are going to get through this crisis it is critically important that we do our best to support one another, some things we can do in the workplace is strictly adhere to the social distancing and if you find that your co-workers just can’t seem to get this piece then we would ask that you reach out to your PVP, or if there is still a JOHS rep at your location they too should be able to provide you with some support and guidance.

We ask that everyone be patient, be considerate, and be kind as we are all in this together…

In Solidarity,

CUPE 411 Executive

Good Evening Members,

There are some alarming statements being made publicly regarding children not being able to transmit the COVID-19 virus, hence the Union felt it imperative to draw attention some articles that have been published as of late that will make you think twice before accepting those previous statements as the gospel.  As Public Employees we are at the mercy of our Government and the directives that come from the various ministries, however, that does not mean we shouldn’t take the time to educate ourselves, especially in the wake of a pandemic that could very well take your life or the life of someone you love.

We have provided a few links below that you may find of interest…..

• “Can children, with mild or no illness, transmit the Coronavirus to others?” “Yes, they can.”
• SARS-CoV-2 Infection in Children
• “Crucially, although the majority of younger people and children will develop symptoms little worse than flu, they could be invisible carriers of the virus and play a key role in its spread.”
• “Social distancing and everyday preventative actions continue to be recommended for persons of all ages.”

The goal of sharing some articles regarding children and this virus is not to strike fear, or create dissention, but to ensure that we do not let our guard down with a false sense of security that children don’t play a role in the transmission of COVID-19.  We also see this as a very teachable moment for our young people; driving home the importance of good hygiene and finding creative ways to make the art of social distancing fun instead of awkward.  The CDC is another resource that may be of interest.

Members who have returned to their respective work sites are reminded to be respectful and mindful when it comes to the 2m (6ft) rule, if someone asks you to step back as they feel you are too close then we would ask that you politely acknowledge their request.  This is a stressful time for so many of our members, so we just ask that you pleased be kind during this difficult time.

Members are also reminded not to use School District email to correspond with your Union Executive.  If you are not signed up to receive our e-mails, please visit our website and “Update Your Contact Information” under the “Contact Us” tab.  Please be sure to fill in all the fields, even if you are wanting to update your email address details, this will ensure that the information we have for you on file is current.

In Solidarity,

CUPE 411 Executive

Good Morning Members,

We have heard from a number of members that they are not receiving the email correspondence that is being sent out from your Union, if that is the case we would ask that you please go to the “Contact Us” tab on the home page of the 411 Website and then scroll down to “Update Your Contact Information”.  We may have outdated information, or it may have been entered incorrectly so this will give us an opportunity to update our records accordingly and ensure you are getting the latest information pertaining to the current COVID-19 situation.

Your Union continues to receive excellent health and safety resource materials from our governing body CUPE National, please take a moment to review the following:

• Physical Distancing in Real Life
• Online Employee Wellness Resource

Our affiliate CUPE BC is also sharing information on their website with regards to COVID-19 that may be of interest to our members?

WorkSafe BC is also another excellent on-line resource as it speaks to the expectations of Employers, as well as to the rights of Workers, not just in the midst of this COVID-19 pandemic, but always.

There has been much talk about Personal Protective Equipment, and it is important to know that this is truly a last resort when it comes to protecting workers against exposures in the workplace that could lead to injury or ultimately death.  Wearing such equipment can sometimes give a worker a false sense of security, which is why it is critically important that Employers do all that they can to remove the risk, or put into place Engineering or Administrative controls that will either isolate the hazard or change the way in which people perform their expected duties and responsibilities if the hazard cannot be removed.  We can appreciate that it would be impossible to say for 100% certainty that a worksite is safe, but that does not mean the Employer only has to do the least possible to protect their workers, they must do everything that would be considered reasonable given the circumstances.

With that being said every worker in this province has the right to wear gloves, face/eye protection, as well as clothing if they feel as though it is necessary to protect themselves or others in the face of an infectious disease.  So long as by wearing such equipment does not pose a risk to the workers safety.  We have members that have Eczema and excessive hand washing can make this condition worse, therefore wearing gloves would be an acceptable option.  We also have members who suffer with seasonal allergies, and therefore wearing a respirator or face shield would help to mitigate the spray of droplets that would be expelled during a sneeze or cough.  Although the Employer does bear the responsibility in showing members how to put on/take off this equipment safely this can easily be done through virtual or in-person instruction; not being able to demonstrate “how to” should never be used as an excuse for workers not to be permitted to wear such equipment.

WorkSafe BC has some excellent information for workers when it comes to Controlling Exposures in the workplace and Personal Protective Equipment.

Members are asked to please watch for an important email that will be going out tonight, as we again are trying not to overwhelm you with emails as we want to make sure that when we do send them you read them as they are important.

In Solidarity,

CUPE 411 Executive

Good Morning Members,

There is much talk among our members regarding what exactly your Union is doing to support them during this difficult time and therefore we thought we should share with you just a few of the questions that we have been asking the Employer for some time now up until yesterday and including today…..

CUPE 411 – Questions for the Employer (SD#33)

Your Union is by not means attempting to put up barriers to this District’s planning as we know many of our members are eager to support the children and families living here in Chilliwack; not only is this admirable, but it is the right thing to do in a time of crisis.  However, it does not mean we throw caution to the wind and rush into a scenerio that could potentially put you or someone else at risk.

As your Executive it is our number one priority to ensure the health and safety of ALL our members, and we will not stop advocating for each and every one of you in this regard; now and always!

In Solidarity,

CUPE 411 Executive

Your Union recognizes that many of our members would be considered precarious workers and are dealing with a lot of fear and anxiety as to what the future holds for them. We certainly do not want to see any members making decisions because of their financial situation that could negatively impact their own health or the health of their loved ones.  The FSEAP is just one of our benefit providers; who not only offers counselling supports that address critical incident stress, substance mis-use or addiction, and crisis intervention.  They also provide a much wider range of services that include health and wellness as well as financial planning.  In light of the COVID-19 pandemic here is some recent literature that we would like to share with our members;

• FSEAP – Federal Government Financial Supports – COVID-19
• FSEAP – Provincial Government Financial Supports – COVID-19
• FSEAP – BC Utilities Financial Supports – COVID-19

If you or someone you love has become symptomatic we strongly urge you to utilize the “Self Assessment Tool” this is an excellent on-line resource that is very user friendly and can provide you with immediate advice on how best to proceed.

For members that are currently on site, or anticipate being back on site in some capacity in the coming weeks and that have questions regarding their health and safety in the midst of this coronavirus pandemic.  WorkSafe BC has some excellent information pertaining to workplace health and safety responsibilities and what the expectations are should you need to file a claim.

Good Afternoon Members,

The messaging from our leaders is to stay home as the next two weeks are critical in controlling this COVID-19 pandemic. However, we have now seen thousands of K-12 workers across the province be required to return to their worksites this week. While some Districts are taking a very slow, collaborative and well thought out approach (respectful and considerate of their employees) others are rushing forward full steam ahead; now hardly seems like the time to be throwing caution to the wind. The Hero’s in all this will be those Districts that have clear and consistent plans, with robust OH&S procedures in place that minimizes the risk of an outbreak of the coronavirus at their work sites.

The messaging we are getting from our CUPE Reps who who are working with Government directly is that member’s not accepting work are not to be laid off, as all K-12 workers are protected until the end of April. This Local believes all of our members want to work, and that no one is looking to take advantage of this situation, but they need to know they will be safe in performing their duties at the worksite. However, if you or someone you live with has a medical condition that could seriously jeopardize their health should they contact the COVID-19 virus, then you should strongly consider staying away from work. Your Union believes working from home should be the first option for those members with compromised health. Any inquiries into a member’s private medical information or that of their families, is strictly prohibited. If you have any concerns regarding this we ask that you reach out to your Union representative.

Although your Local continues to meet with the Employer on a regular basis, which your executive does appreciate, these are more information sessions. The Employer is informing your Union what they are going to do. Be assured we bring all your questions and concerns to those meetings, where they are shared and if possible, addressed promptly. Please know that your Union is not involved in any of the planning or approving what is happening here in this District. As long as the B.C. Provincial Emergency Program Act is in effect, your Union is handcuffed and has no control on how this District chooses to redeploy our members.

Many members have come to us with questions regarding Employment Insurance, your Union is not in a position to give advice on this worker benefit. Please pursue answers directly with Employment Insurance staff.

For our casual members, you have had many questions for us. Sadly we have very few answers for you at this time. Please know we have not forgotten about you. We continue to advocate for all our members, and we continue to ask what will happen with all of you that were not in Temporary Assignment and simply being called out day to day. Please continue to email us your questions/concerns, as answers come our way we will share them with you directly and/or post them on the website for all to see.

We know these are scary times for many. We hope that by continuing with these communications we are providing you with good information. Information that provides some answers and clarity, along with the solace in knowing that the health and well-being of you and your families is at the forefront of all of our conversations with our Employer.

In Solidarity,

CUPE 411 Executive

Good Evening Members,

As part of our daily communications to keep you informed during this COVID-19 pandemic we thought, with advice from our National Servicing Rep., it was important to share with you what we do know regarding the workflow and expectations in the next couple of days, weeks, and or months……

Under the B.C. Provincial Emergency Program Act the redeployment of workers will happen in order to take care of our communities, and as public employees, the Union (CUPE 411) does not have a choice to agree or disagree at this time.  The redeployment of any of our members is only during this crisis and this is done on a whole without prejudice or precedent, as confirmed by the Public Sector Employer’s Council; the Council governs public employees under the provincial government.

Some of the questions we have been asked by members are;

Can I say “No” to being redeployed?

• “Yes” you can but you may not be paid? It is important to note that failure to not show up to work may result in not receiving any E.I or government assistance.

What if I am not experience, qualified, or capable? 

• It is the Employer’s responsibility to provide adequate training for any and all work that you are being asked to perform.
• If you require a license, certification, or some other legal requirement to perform the work; then make it know you do not possess these.
• If you are not capable (i.e. have a medical condition) then you can indicate you have a medical condition that prohibits you from performing the work (do not disclose the condition) and ask if there is any other work that you can do.

Why am I being asked to work outside the scope of my job description?

• It has come to this because of the health crisis we are in here in B.C. and the province has entered into the Emergency Act.

Why is the School District still operating?

• The Employer has been tasked to continue to work to support the communities. This directive comes from BCPSEA, PSEC, and the Provincial Government.

Are we expected to work until June 26, 2020 and if I cannot work will I continue to get paid until then?

• The government has secured payment until April 30, 2020, but they are expecting to see some work out of all school district employees; this is not going to be a free ride.
• For those members who are unable to come into the work sites due to pre-existing medical conditions, or live with someone who is vulnerable, and there is not work for them to perform at home we are unclear at this time how they are going to be financially compensated (i.e. Employer Pays or E.I.)?

Please know that your Union Executive, have and will continue to work tirelessly in advocating in your best interest and ensuring that your health and safety is the primary consideration during this pandemic.

In Solidarity,

CUPE 411 Executive

Good Evening Members,

By now a number of you should have received a phone call from your PVP/Manager to discuss a number of questions pertaining to COVID-19 and your ability to work, either on site or from home.  If you have not received a call yet, please be patient and hopefully by tomorrow everyone will have been contacted.  It is critically important that you DO NOT arrive at a work site without first having received this call, this is not only for your health and safety but for that of your co-workers.

As some of you may have already heard the BC Provincial Government has mandated school districts to provide emergency child care to our front-line workers such as; doctor’s, nurse’s (RN’s and LPN’s), paramedics, and the like.  Many of these are unionized workers and in this time of crisis we understand the importance in providing support to them as they are risking so much.  There are many details, such as a comprehensive safety plan, that must be worked out prior to this being implemented.  What this all means for our members we do not know yet, but after the broadcast on Global National yesterday regarding children and COVID-19, it is imperative that we do not rush into any scenerio that could jeopardize the health and safety of any of our members.

We have received some very good information from the P.E.B.T. that we wanted to share with our members regarding this COVID-19 pandemic that speaks directly to K-12 Support Staff, and some FAQ’s.

For those members that continue to work, or have returned to work, please continue to follow the BC CDC protocols on prevention when it comes to COVID-19, as these are key in minimizing the risk of exposure and transmission.

We thank you for your patience and understanding as we climb this mountain in front of us one slow step at a time; always with your best interest at heart….

Sincerely and In Solidarity,

CUPE 411 Executive