Bulletin – K-12 workplace health & safety updates
Violence Prevention Toolkit We’d like to thank everyone who took part in last month’s workshop on the new K-12 Violence Prevention Toolkit. We’d also thank panelists Tom McKenna, CUPE Occupational Health and Safety specialist, and Hans Loeffelholz, BCPSEA sector lead for OH&S, for their presentation on this vital resource. A copy of the workshop presentation […]
CUPE, Simon Fraser Student Society ratify new collective agreement
BURNABY– The Simon Fraser Student Society and the Canadian Union of Public Employees have ratified a new five-year collective agreement for staff at the Student Society. The new agreement eliminates a two-tier wage structure and will ensure every CUPE member at the Society will be guaranteed a living wage by 2023. CUPE 3338, the local […]
Bulletin – Update on vaccine mandates in K-12 system
The B.C. government has announced mandatory vaccinations for the province’s over 30,000 public service workers. While this mandate does not directly cover workers in the K-12 education system, CUPE anticipates school districts will be applying similar mandates in K-12 schools in the near future. CUPE BC President Karen Ranalletta issued a statement saying, “the B.C. […]
Bulletin – Mask mandate expanded to include K-3 students
Public Health Officer Dr. Bonnie Henry and Minister of Education Jennifer Whiteside announced today masks will be required for all students in K-12 schools effective October 4, 2021, expanding the mandate to include kindergarten to Grade 3. As of Monday, all BC students will be required to wear masks while inside a school building, including […]
Bulletin – Update on COVID-19 safety measures in K-12 schools
The Public Health Officer and BCCDC have updated the process for COVID-19 exposures in K-12 schools. Exposure notices will be posted online. Links can be found on the BCCDC website. The Ministry of Education has also released an update on COVID-19 safety measures for the K-12 education system that provides further guidance regarding proof of […]
Bulletin – Help prevent workplace violence in schools
K-12 Health & Safety Toolkit workshop on September 23rd K-12 schools are unique and complex workplaces, and both the number of claims and the injury rate related to workplace violence in K-12 schools rose steadily between 2015 and 2019. Workers may interact with people who do not yet have the capacity to understand that their […]
Bulletin – Employer Proof of Vaccine Requests
While there are currently no public health orders (PHOs) that directly address mandatory immunization for education workers, some of our members may be indirectly impacted by the B.C. Government’s vaccine certificate program. Where an employee’s job duties place them in locations or at events that require vaccination, employers may require vaccination status disclosures. Such policies […]
New health and safety measures announced for BC colleges and universities
BURNABY—The B.C. government has announced new requirements and health and safety measures for students, faculty and staff at colleges and universities. The new measures include mandatory masks in all indoor spaces on campus, and proof of vaccination to access some on-campus services. Mandatory masks Effective August 25, 2021, masks are required in all indoor public […]
Bulletin – K-12 Communicable Disease Guidelines for new school year
The B.C. government has released an up-to-date Public Health Communicable Disease Guidance for K-12 Schools and the Provincial Communicable Disease Guidelines for K-12 Settings in preparation for the start of the 2021/2022 school year. The guidance replaces previous COVID-19 guidelines and take effect August 24, 2021. Highlights of the guidance include: Vaccines are highly recommended […]
Clean and healthy schools priority for CUPE education workers this fall
BURNABY—The union representing over 30,000 education workers in BC public schools is calling on the provincial government to focus on providing clean and healthy environments for students and staff for the new school year. The Canadian Union of Public Employees is calling for daytime custodial services to be provided in all school districts along with […]