Bulletin
FortisBC – OH&S Victory!
May 12, 2021
To: All MoveUP Members at FortisBC
We write to celebrate a victory for one of FortisBC’s OH&S Committees. A diligent worker co-chair of the Joint OH&S Committee (the “OH&S Committee”) at a FortisBC Customer Service Centre successfully advocated for the alternate members of their OH&S Committee to receive OH&S training.
The company declined to pay for alternate OH&S committee members to receive OH&S training and in the past, this has consistently been their position. The worker co-chair of the OH&S committee disagreed and raised this issue with management. The worker co-chair then called the WCB, spoke to a prevention officer, and confirmed that all OH&S committee members, regardless of being an alternate or not, are entitled to eight hours of OH&S training per year. New OH&S committee members are entitled to an additional eight hours of OH&S training within the first six months of being on an OH&S committee.
Because of the co-chair’s great advocacy work, the company changed their position and confirmed that all new members on their OH&S committee, including alternates, are scheduled for OH&S training in the coming month.
We want to highlight and celebrate this victory and thank the worker co-chair for their efforts. This win demonstrates how OH&S committees can be effective when Worker members stand up for their rights under OH&S law. We recommend reviewing the training in each of your own OH&S committees to ensure all members have received the OH&S training they are entitled to.
Keep up the great OH&S work and please reach out to the union if you have any questions or concerns about health and safety in your workplace.
In solidarity,
Niki Schnurr, WCB Appeals & OH&S Representative
Cindy A. Lee, Union Representative