Dear Sisters & Brothers,
We are now over two weeks into this pandemic and I wanted to reach out and let you know where we’re at. Everyone at your IBEW 213 office has been closely following the events and our various levels of government’s responses since the beginning of this crisis, with your interests at the top of mind.
Along with all our affiliates, we have been working very hard with the BC Federation of Labour and the BC Building Trades to leverage our connections within government in order to emphasize the severe need for improvements to your work conditions, and to follow the public health officer’s orders for social distancing and hygiene.
In the past couple days, we have seen some improved responses from WorkSafeBC, thanks to your reports on the condition of your worksites. Your testimonials have also been forwarded to key government officials. We continue to work on improvements so that members can begin to see safer working environments. In order to help us continue advocate for clean and healthy workplaces, we need you to continue reporting on your worksite’s conditions. We have opened a site safety reporting survey online. If you see something, please report it using the link below. You can also find the link on our website and across our social media channels.
Along with you I’m sure, our team has been closely watching the daily briefings from the Prime Minister, and the provincial Minister of Health Adrian Dix and Provincial Health Officer Dr. Bonnie Henry. All keep hammering the same message: “Stay home!” Our members are all doing their best to follow that message and help “flatten” or “plank the curve” of infection so that we don’t overwhelm our healthcare system.
However, many of us across the diverse IBEW 213 membership fall into what has been deemed at this time critical or essential service roles. These include your fellow members in hospital support services, gas and electric utilities, cable and telecommunication, construction, food workers and many others. This essential service label has effectively put these workers in direct contradictions with some of the public health guidelines, such as social distancing and restrictions of the number of people gathering.
The provincial government confirmed its position yesterday, by announcing the COVID-19 Essential Service List. It is now clear that the government sees the majority of our members as critical to public safety, supply chains, and keeping our economy on life support during this global crisis. We now have the unenviable mandate to encourage as many of our healthy, willing and able members to continue to report to work for as long as possible. At this time, that is the message to you, our members.
I want to reiterate that we are fully aware that this message is contradicts the general message that our Prime Minister and provincial health leaders are giving to the general public. Rest assured that we will continue working with your employers and all levels of government to ensure safety while maintaining as much capacity for workers in our industries as possible.
We are also aware that some of our collective agreements require a limited amount of flexibility during this crisis, all in the efforts to allow for everchanging conditions, contingency plans for working from home, new protocols based on health guidelines, and the efforts to establish distancing between individuals and crews through shift changes. There will be some circumstances where your Assistant Business Manager has had to take the “work now and grieve later” approach. I understand that these are anxious and stressful times right now but I ask for your patience with your union representatives, co-workers, and yes, your employers too.
These are extraordinary times. There will be unprecedented demands on all aspects of our lives in the next few months, but take pride in each one of your fundamental contributions to society, which are proving yet again, that in the most dire times, you, the workers, carry the world on your backs.
Thank you, and I wish all of you good health.
In solidarity,
Jim Lofty,
Business Manager