Bulletin #42 – COVID-19 school closures, exposures, isolation and quarantine

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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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Links to the latest K-12 updated information on COVID-19

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Information about health region protocols and the current COVID-19 school exposures by district:

Bulletin #41 – New coordinators assigned to K-12 sector

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On behalf of the K-12 Presidents Council, I would like to welcome our new K-12 Coordinators, Jeanne Marr and Chris Losito.  Both Chris and Jeanne have been coordinators with other sectors before coming to K-12.

Jeanne, a long-time activist, was a high school clerical and was also a K-12 Pension Benefits administrator. Jeanne will support reps and locals in Metro, Fraser Valley and the North.

Chris will support Vancouver Island, the Okanagan and Kootenays. Chris worked as an Environmental Health Officer and was an activist, chief shop steward, and executive member with CUPE 15 for six years. Chris worked in K-12 as a national rep in the Trail office for two years. We look forward to working with Jeanne and Chris.

Thank you, Tracey!

I also want to give a big shout-out to Tracey Mathieson, who served as K-12 Coordinator for the past six years. I’m sure all members of the Council join me in thanking Tracey for her dedication, knowledge, professionalism, availability and strong work ethic. Tracey did an enormous amount of work on behalf of K-12 members and the Presidents Council both during bargaining and throughout this pandemic. We wish her all the best in her new role as Library Coordinator.

Ongoing Committee work

Ongoing work on provincial committees continues. We hope to have direct access to the PHO on the Provincial Steering Committee soon. This will help us get answers and raise concerns that have been brought to our attention by CUPE members in K-12 about changing guidelines. We’re all in this together, as we work to keep staff and students safe in B.C. schools.

In solidarity and safety,

Warren Williams
K-12 Presidents Council President

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CUPE 409 successfully lobbies for Living Wage in New Westminster

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NEW WESTMINSTER—After several years of lobbying SD 40, CUPE 409 is pleased that the district adopted­­­­ the Living Wage policy on November 24. 

“This is great news,” said CUPE 409 President Marcel Marsolais. “We want to make sure that people are paid appropriately. This is another example of unions benefitting all workers.”

Marsolais praised CUPE 409 Labour Management representatives and members for endorsing the New Westminster and District Labour Council living wage initiative.

“Thanks also to our CUPE Labour-endorsed board of education trustees, for supporting a living wage policy in New West schools,” said Marsolais.

­­Living wage employers raise the bar for wages beyond minimum wage. The living wage initiative is supported by unions to ensure that workers who provide contracted services funded with public sector funds are paid a living wage. The current living wage rate for Metro Vancouver is $19.50 per hour, assuming the employer provides no benefits.   

The SD40 living wage policy will be implemented in April 2021. SD40 is the first school district in B.C. to adopt the Living Wage policy. The City of New Westminster became a “Living Wage Employer” in January 2011, a Canadian first.

Bulletin #40 – A warm welcome to Minister of Education Jennifer Whiteside

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We warmly welcome Minister Whiteside and look forward to working with her to support and expand the critical work CUPE members provide.

As CUPE members throughout B.C. continue to go above and beyond to keep schools open during this pandemic, we are now working with a majority government committed to protecting and enhancing public services.

In the mandate letter to Minister Whiteside, Premier Horgan has asked the ministry to continue their foundational principles to put people first; equity and anti-racism; achieve B.C.’s climate goals; and support a strong and stable economy that works for everyone.

Specific to K-12, the letter also calls for progress to be made in public education. The mandate lists 11 items that include the following:

  • safety guidelines to ensure quality public education continues during and after the pandemic
  • prioritizing universal access to before- and after-school care on school grounds
  • more mental health supports for students and staff

The K-12 Presidents Council and CUPE will continue to work with the ministry and the employer association on all priorities of our K-12 members including:

  1. Reinforcing members’ health
    and safety
  2. Establishing province-wide Job Evaluation
  3. More consistency and hours for EAs
  4. Permanent day-time custodians

On behalf of our 30,000 members who support K-12 across B.C., the K-12 Presidents Council warmly welcomes Minister of Education Jennifer Whiteside.

Premier John Horgan appointed former HEU secretary-business manager and chief spokesperson Jennifer Whiteside as Minister of Education yesterday.

Jennifer has a strong record of defending workers’ rights and championing social justice issues at all levels. She replaces Minister Rob Fleming who has moved to the Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure.

I would like to thank outgoing Minister Fleming for his respect and recognition of the important services CUPE members provide, and for his work on behalf of support staff, students and parents in the midst of this challenging pandemic.

We look forward to working together with Minister Whiteside as we continue our work on member safety, continuation of pay during school closures, increased hours for EAs, maintaining day-time custodians, and the many other issues in K-12.

Warren Williams
K-12 Presidents Council President

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