Bulletin
BC Transit – Phased re-opening
August 17, 2020
To: All MoveUP members at BC Transit Victoria
The past several months have been unparalleled. Your union has been working with the employer every step of the way in a cooperative approach to ensure the safety and well-being of our members. We have been participating in conference calls every week to discuss the COVID-19 pandemic with BC Transit. Your employer, has started a phased return of its employees who were working remotely during the height of the pandemic. We understand that a portion of our members at BC Transit were essential and not given the ability to work remotely during the initial phase of the pandemic. We are extremely grateful to all our members for their hard work over the last several months.
As BC Transit moves towards gradually transitioning to increasing the number of employees at work, albeit, with substantial restrictions, we wanted to review the steps taken so far and also provide you with some guidance as we move forward. BC Transit has been extremely cautious with the phased return of employees back to the office. We understand that only a very small portion of employees have been asked to return to the office. BC Transit has shared with your union all the communications sent out to staff regarding the phased return to work and the mandatory training safety training being provided to all employees.
Everyone must be cognizant that the office environment at BC Transit has changed and will not be functioning at a pre-COVID-19 state for the foreseeable future. If any employees are having difficulty working remotely BC Transit has asked that you reach out to your manager so that they can safely help facilitate a return to the office for you.
I can advise that to our knowledge, the employer has met all relevant health authority guidelines, and has proactively sought their advice. The employer has with input and consultation from the Joint Occupational Health and Safety Committees and the union, put in place a number of policies, procedures, and protocols to ensure your continued health and safety. This has included risk assessments at every location, reviewing best practices, setting occupancy limits for in-house interactions, continuing with cleaning procedures, as well as adopting a number of engineering, administrative and personal protective equipment protocols.
We are advised that anyone returning to the office will be oriented to new safety protocols, and BC Transit will ensure they have all the necessary information to return to the worksite safely.
Whether you have remained at the worksite throughout, or are now returning from working from home, we ask that all of you remain vigilant, and report any concerns immediately to a member of your Joint Occupational Health and Safety Committee, your manager, and/or directly to a union steward or your union representative.
All of our members at BC Transit are reminded to:
- Continuously and diligently monitor your health for fever, cough, sneezing, sore throat or difficulty breathing.
- Stay home from work if you are sick.
- Contact your doctor or BC HealthLink at 8-1-1 immediately if you become sick or experience any of the above symptoms.
Further information about COVID-19 is available on the BC CDC website here.
We will continue to work with BC Transit as we move through the COVID-19 pandemic. Our utmost priority is to ensure our members are safe in the workplace.
MoveUP members can take steps to protect one another. Everyone MUST wash their hands and use sanitizing wipes on any objects, surfaces, etc. that are touched by co-workers in-between cleaning schedules. All members should be vigilant and ensure that social distancing protocols are followed at work. If you are not able to practice social distancing, please report to your manager and your local OH&S representative and your union. MoveUP is working hard to ensure that our OH&S Committees are activated and well informed about COVID-19 and that all employers meet their responsibility to provide a healthy and safe workplace during the pandemic.
If you have any further questions, please do not hesitate to reach out to your union steward, or your Union Representative Parm Sandhar, or our WCB and OH&S Representative Niki Schnurr.
For more resources and information, please visit:
MoveUPTogether.ca/FlattenTheCurve.
In Solidarity,
Parm Sandhar, Union Representative
Niki Schnurr, WCB Appeals and OH&S Representative
Christy Slusarenko, Vice-President of Combined Units