Bulletin #50 – Government of B.C. rolls out vaccine plan

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The Province’s immunization plan, announced today,  applies an age-based approach. Phase 1 and Phase 2 focus on protecting those most susceptible to severe illness and death from COVID-19.  Phase 3 and Phase 4 focus on the general population.

Adults older than age 60 have at least 5 times increased odds of hospitalization and mortality, with those over 80 carrying double that risk.

K-12 support staff likely included in Phase 3

CUPE continues to advocate strongly that support staff be included in prioritized groups who are now included in the later stages of Phase 3.

According to a government news release, as additional vaccines become available, frontline essential workers or those who work in specific workplaces may also be able to start receiving vaccines later in Phase 3. British Columbians aged 69–16 who are deemed to be clinically extremely vulnerable, will be eligible for early immunization in Phase 3.

The plan calls for every eligible British Columbian to receive a vaccine between April and the end of September – a total of 7.4 million doses (allowing for 2 doses per person). The timing of each phase may begin sooner than scheduled.

This plan is the largest in B.C.’s history. Health authorities – in partnership with communities, businesses, and municipalities – will set up clinics in 172 B.C. communities.

Vaccine Pre-registration

Members will be able to pre-register for the vaccine with their mobile devices, computers or by phone. Details will be released by the end of February.

The steering committee has been assured that ample vaccine is available and we can expect to have a protected adult population by September 2021. Both the Minister and BCCDC have assured us that we can and should plan for a full return to school in September with a fully-protected adult population.

 

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Bulletin #49 – Keeping safe in the pandemic

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Throughout the pandemic, the BCCDC and Provincial Health Officer have reiterated that transmission rates of COVID-19 in schools is low. Two recent research papers – from the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control and the National Collaborating Centre for Methods and Tools at McMaster University — appear to support this position, as does data released by Vancouver Coastal Health for the first half of the 2020/21 school year.

While this news is welcome and can provide some peace of mind, the fear and anxiety of exposure to COVID-19 and bringing the virus home to your families is real and understandable. The best way to keep K-12 members, their families, students, parents and co-workers safe is to:

  1. Enforce robust COVID safety plans, including: maintaining physical distancing; wearing a mask if unable to physically distance; frequently washing hands; and staying home if not feeling well.
  2. Become active participants in your workplace and/or regional Joint Health and Safety Committee(s),
  3. Push for school districts to support effective isolation and quarantine, by providing paid general leave during these periods, and
  4. Advocate for improved transparency and timelines of exposure reporting.

The K-12 Presidents Council, CUPE K-12 locals, CUPE National and CUPE BC continue to take these priorities on, and will continue to regularly report out to members as new information becomes available.

Steering Committee works with BCCDC to revise guidelines

The BCCDC will be issuing revised guidance for the K-12 sector over the next couple of weeks. These revisions are not meant to be changes to protocol, but instead are meant to provide specific and additional clarity.

We know that the current safety measures, when used together, keep schools as safe as possible.

Guidance has been intentionally broad to allow each district to specifically apply it. However, we know that this has not been the case in many districts and the lack of detailed guidance creates deficiencies in the safety plans.

The Steering Committee has been working closely with BCCDC to adapt this guidance to be much more specific and address more areas of concern.

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Bulletin #48 – STOP contracting out

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Important information about EA hours and early care and learning

CUPE National and CUPE BC have long supported the creation of a universal system of affordable child care. Members and staff have campaigned for this particularly hard in the last two years. We also bargained language to ensure that CUPE locals and members will have an opportunity to work collaboratively with school districts to create a broader education system. That language is under threat.

The re-election of the BC NDP to a majority government has given us a historic opportunity to create a universal system of affordable child care.

MOST EFFICIENT AND EFFECTIVE

The only way we can achieve universal affordable child care is by delivering it as a high-quality, public service. We know that the most effective and efficient way to create a truly universal system – accessible to everyone who needs it – is by building out the existing K-12 public education system to include early care and learning.

High quality affordable child care in schools — and in every neighbourhood in the province – would be life-changing for families.

UPHOLDING OUR CONTRACT RIGHTS

In our last round of negotiations with BCPSEA we specifically bargained language in the Provincial Framework Agreement (PFA) that committed school districts to work collaboratively with CUPE locals to explore opportunities to better transition children from early care and learning to kindergarten. This was meant to bring child care into our schools and to create opportunity for our existing membership, particularly education assistants, to access more full-time hours.

Despite our efforts, we have seen a troubling trend emerge. Child care is being contracted out in many school districts, without any dialogue or opportunity for collaboration with CUPE locals. This is a direct violation of the PFA and we must put a stop to it. We cannot allow our work to be contracted out. We cannot remain silent while our contract is ignored.

IT’S TIME TO TAKE ACTION

This issue is very serious. We can turn this trend around by taking action in our individual districts. CUPE staff are prepared to support you in this effort. Please get in touch with your servicing rep who will work with your local and district on this.

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Bulletin #47 – K-12 members get the message out

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Troy Tardiff
CUPE 1851 custodian

Custodian Troy Tardiff has always loved working with people. He was a cleaning supervisor in a hospital before coming to K-12. Now at Shortreed Community School in Langley, Tardiff was featured in the Langley Advance Times.

His dedication, relationship with students and concern for others shine through.

“Kids are amazing,” says Tardiff.

 

Patricia Richetto
CUPE 4227 education assistant

EA Patricia Richetto overcame pandemic stress and negativity by remaining positive, embracing technology, and through art. Before COVID she didn’t own a computer! But like many K-12 support staff, she learned Zoom and other programs to connect with students online.

Richetto is featured in Counterpoint, CUPE’s national quarterly newsletter.

“I’m very happy to be back and working with students,” she said.

 

John Johnson
CUPE 523 custodian

The Penticton Herald chose CUPE 523 custodian John Johnson to represent 2020 newsmaker of the year – frontline workers, as selected by readers.

Johnson used to work evenings in a middle school but was moved to day shift because of the pandemic.

“Moving to day shift connected me more to the staff, the building and the students in it,” said Johnson.

Our key messages

As we continue to face COVID-19 together and begin to prepare for collective bargaining next year, we will have many opportunities to reach our members, employers, K-12 partners and the public. We need to let everybody know who we are and that our work is crucial to education. It benefits our families and communities

Whether it comes from CUPE Locals, members, staff or elected officials, we need to deliver a consistent message using social media and other forms of communication.

As well as sharing our message widely with members, we will be reaching out to the public with earned media (letters to the editor and opinion columns) in major and community newspapers. Stay tuned.

CUPE continues to call for increased transparency and timeliness of COVID-19 exposure notifications.

Safe schools are clean schools. We need permanent daytime custodians. Safety plans must be followed to keep schools open.

School districts must support isolation and/or quarantine by continuing wages and benefits to members.

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Overcoming the pandemic with positivity

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NORTH VANCOUVER—Before COVID-19 hit, Patricia Richetto had worked at École André-Piolat for 14 years. It was her comfort zone. The life-changing pandemic brought negativity and stress, but she not only coped, she conquered.

Prior to the pandemic Richetto didn’t even have a computer at home and was not familiar or comfortable with technology. Because her work as an education assistant switched to remote, online learning, the school sent a computer to her home. In the beginning she was frustrated. Despite a steep learning curve, Richetto learned how to use the computer with help from teachers and others in her school who were patient and supportive.

Now, working with the computer is a regular part of her life. As an EA, Richetto usually works with special needs kids and had many students with complex needs. She worked with 10 students from four classes. One of the challenges of working remotely was developing a schedule that worked for everyone. It took about a week to come up with a proper schedule. Answering parents’ emails was also an important part of her at-home work.

In the midst of all this, Richetto’s 22-year-old son, who was in Montreal for military training, contracted COVID-19. He got very ill, lost a lot of weight and went into isolation for one month. When he was finally able to come home, he was no longer contagious, but remained sick for a long time. He has since recovered and is working at a restaurant while looking for work in his field.

Despite personal challenges, Richetto worked to remain positive throughout. She went for lots of walks during the suspension of in-class learning and got to know her neighbours. She took a twelve-week course studying on the weekend and at night to earn a certificate to teach gifted children.  “I tried to find something positive,” said Richetto.

Learning the computer and how to do Zoom calls enabled her to contact a niece and nephew that she hadn’t spoken with for years. They started having Skype meetings and exchanged photos. They spent time together online. Richetto met her brother and sister, niece and nephew and their children in Montreal this summer. “It’s been wonderful to see their little kids. I’m very happy that I was able to take something so rewarding from this pandemic,” she said.

Art has been a big part of keeping positive. She worked with students on weekly journals and they put the drawings into the school newspaper. Richetto created a cartoon featuring a little girl in different situations. She put together a podcast for the kids and an interactive book for children.

Her advice to her students is to stay hopeful and live day by day. Richetto encouraged students to do a rainbow drawing to put in the window. “It’s good to continue to support each other. We help each other and move forward together.”

Being back at school is not without its own challenges, with all the new rules, schedule changes, and wearing masks. “Being in school is difficult,” said Richetto “Although it’s stressful, I’m very happy to be back and working with students.”

This translated article is also available in French on the CUPE 4227 website.