Bulletin
Hertz – COVID-19 – Update #3 – March 24, 2020
March 24, 2020
To: All MoveUP members at Hertz
Your Union has been in daily contact with management. The COVID-19 pandemic is continually evolving and information and plans are changing very rapidly.
Hertz management has advised that as of yesterday it is anticipated that only 43 members will be needed at the airport. This number is in line with what MoveUP has heard from the other car rental companies.
In addition to layoff issues we have been addressing health and safety issues that may affect our members as well. Please help us in achieving this goal by ensuring that you are following safety protocols. For example, it makes it very difficult for us to advocate for social distancing initiatives when the reply from management is that our members are not observing these procedures on their breaks. More importantly, we are putting ourselves at risk by not observing these procedures.
We have also been advised that the current layoffs may not be enough. Our experience with the other car rental companies is that they have been constantly revising their staffing requirements and unfortunately the revisions have continually been on a downward trend.
We are living in unprecedented times and things are changing rapidly.
We are likely to see further changes in the industry and our daily lives. This is a difficult situation for everyone and patience, decency, and understanding are needed more than ever. In the next few days, it is possible that the provincial government will close all businesses except those considered to be essential services. Our understanding is that car rentals will continue to operate as the industry has responsibility to provide transportation to other essential services.
Please be advised that our office was closed as of last Wednesday with only a skeleton crew working from our offices. MoveUP staff has been directed to not attend meetings in person when at all possible in order to avoid unnecessary interactions. Most representatives are working from home.
Please be safe and we will continue to keep our members updated as the situation evolves. If you have any questions please contact me at slakusta@moveuptogether.ca. I will attempt to get back to you with an answer as soon as possible.
In solidarity,
Shawn Lakusta, Union Reprsentative
Christy Slusarenko, Vice-President of Combined Units