Greetings,

We want to extend our thanks to all who were able to join the December 14^th Webinar. We hope the information was helpful to you.

As you are likely aware, the first COVID-19 vaccines have reached BC.  While we still have a long way to go, we are now entering the beginning of the end of this pandemic.

All information contained in this email is from public sources, and may be distributed to members or posted on your websites.

The targets the government has set include the K-12 sector in the second priority group, although some may have access to it earlier than that.  You can see the government’s projected schedule here.

We heard a number of questions put forward to Dr. Gustafson around the actual vaccine and what we know about it. Below is some helpful information.

https://www.canada.ca/content/dam/phac-aspc/documents/services/publications/diseases-conditions/what-you-need-to-know-covid-19-vaccine/what-you-need-to-know-covid-19-vaccine-eng.pdf

The National Advisory Committee on Immunization (NACI) released recommendations on key populations for early vaccination. This includes guidance on who will get COVID-19 vaccines first. The recommendations include:

• Residents and staff of congregate living settings that provide care for seniors such as long-term care homes
• Adults 70 years of age and older, beginning with adults 80 years of age and older, then decreasing the age limit by 5-year increments to age 70 years as supply becomes available
• Health care workers (including all those who work in health care settings and personal support workers whose work involves direct contact with patients)
• Adults in Indigenous communities where infection can have disproportionate consequences

For those with concerns regarding the vaccine, we can only address it by referring you to the BC government’s website (link is above).  We have understood that, at this time, there is not any indication that this will be made mandatory.

Meanwhile, even for those who have received the vaccination, the PHO orders will remain in effect.  We also know that until our sector has access to the vaccination, there will continue to be risk, and advise you to remain vigilant in keeping yourselves and others safe by maintaining physical distancing where possible and wearing a mask. Please report to your local and health and safety representatives in cases where safety plans are not being followed and enforced.

WorkSafe

Please see the attached resources from our OH&S Rep, Brother Tom McKenna.  They are approved for distribution to members and can be found on www.bcschools.cupe.ca .

Your dedication to students and each other has been well noted; we cannot applaud you enough for this.  We need to keep up our safety measures, and ask our employers to update their safety plans as needed.  We are now able to see the light at the end of the tunnel, but only once the majority of the population have been vaccinated can we expect to see a significant reduction in the safety protocols and measures imposed by the Provincial Health Officer.

Fact sheet and guide to filing WorkSafeBC claims during COVID and compiled resource list.

Chris Losito and Jeanne Marr

K-12 Co-Coordinators

On May 14, 2020, the Provincial Health Officer issued an order requiring all employers to post a copy of their Workplace COVID-19 Safety Plan at their worksite and, where applicable, on their website.

The order states that the COVID-19 Safety Plan must be “readily available for review by
workers, other persons who may attend at the workplace to provide services and members of the public.”

Joint Health & Safety Committee role and upcoming survey

A COVID-19 Safety Plan has been developed for every school. Your workplace site or district Joint Health and Safety Committee(s) has a critical role in enforcing the COVID-19 Safety Plan, preventing and investigating violence in the workplace, and keeping you safe while at work.

In order to support CUPE worker representatives in their important role on Joint Health and Safety Committees (JHSC), we will be circulating a provincial Health and Safety survey in January. This survey comes from the provincial joint Health & Safety Taskforce negotiated in the Provincial Framework Agreement.

View PDF

bcschools.cupe.ca
On social media: @cupek12bc

 

CUPE is aware of school districts requiring our members to take sick time or unpaid time during periods of COVID-19 school closures and when required to isolate or quarantine due to possible exposure.

This is not okay.

In any of these circumstances, CUPE supports our members continuing to receive their full compensation. Casual/spareboard employees should continue to receive pay and benefits based on an average of earnings over the preceding weeks.

Employers consistently say that sick time is only to be used in cases of illness or injury, so for school districts to require the misuse of sick time (either paid or unpaid) now, is totally unacceptable.

Please notify your CUPE local and National Representative if your district fails to provide wage and benefit continuity in these circumstances.

Your K-12 Coordinators have already communicated our expectations to the Ministry of Education. We will continue to do so, and will identify problem school districts, so that we can stop this short-sighted practice.
This is a matter of public health. If needed, we will make the case to public health, BCPSEA and the Ministry that immediate intervention is required.

Exposure and illness

If a member is sick, the time that the member is absent should be coded as sick leave, with the following exceptions:

1. i) In the event of an exposure to COVID-19 at work, the member should submit a Form 6 to WorkSafeBC and report the exposure to their workplace Joint Health and Safety Committee.
2. ii) If a member tests positive for COVID-19 they should submit a WorkSafeBC claim regardless of reported
   exposure in their workplace.

We want public health to give early notification of exposures at schools in all health regions and the First Nations Health Authority—similar to what Vancouver Coastal and Fraser Health are now doing—and are working towards that end.

 

The following information is from the Deputy Minister of Health update bulletin on New Provincial COVID-19 Restrictions for K-12 (December 4).

Have any changes been made to daily health check requirements?

• employers are required to take an ‘active’ position on ensuring health checks are completed versus a ‘passive’ position such as displaying a poster

Does the new provincial order requiring face coverings in indoor public spaces apply to K-12 schools

• directed to public spaces rather than workplaces and does not specifically reference schools

* new order applies to public spaces (indoor common areas) within office buildings, including board, Distributed Learning (DL) and school/district offices

Is physical distancing required while wearing masks?

• Yes. Masks are not a substitute for physical distancing.
• No social gatherings/congregating of employees allowed in any areas

We are working on a COVID-19 Safety Plan bulletin — coming to you early next week.

Links with latest information from PHO, WorkSafeBC and health regions are now on our home page above the news section.
bcschools.cupe.ca 

On social media: @cupek12bc

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