Effective August 22, 2022, WorkSafeBC has implemented amendments to the Right to Refuse Unsafe Work. Workers have the right to refuse unsafe work if they have reasonable cause to believe that performing it would create an undue hazard to the health and safety of any person. Changes will now require employers to provide written notice of an unresolved work refusal to any worker subsequently assigned or allowed to perform that work, and to provide written notice of the reassignment to the joint health and safety committee or a union representative.

These important changes strengthen workers’ fundamental right to a safe workplace and their ability to make workplaces safer for everyone.

The amendments include the addition of a new section under Part 3: Rights and Responsibilities in the Occupational Health and Safety Regulation:

3.12.1 (1) Reassignment of refused work

If a worker refuses work under section 3.12, the employer must not require or permit another worker to do the refused work unless

(a) the matter has been resolved under 3.12 (3), (4) or (5), or

(b) the employer has, in writing, advised the other worker and a person referred
to in section 3.12 (4)(a), (b) or (c) of all of the following:

(i) the refusal;

(ii) the unsafe condition reported under section 3.12 (2);

(iii) the reasons why the task would not create an undue hazard to the
health and safety of the other worker or any other person;

(iv) the right of the other worker under section 3.12 to refuse unsafe work.

Visit WorkSafeBC for more information on the amendment.

View PDF here.

The Ministry of Education and Child Care has issued updated Provincial Communicable Disease Guidelines for K-12 School Settings. The updates reflect current Provincial Health Officer orders and guidelines from the BC Centre for Disease Control.

There have not been significant changes to the BCCDC’s guidance for K-12 settings, or to the Ministry of Education and Child Care’s Guidelines since the last update in April 2022. However, school districts should review their communicable disease prevention plans with their Site Committees and Joint Health and Safety Committees (WorkSafe BC requirements here). Plans should be made readily available.

The Guidelines now incorporate previously issued Provincial COVID-19 Communicable Disease Guidelines for K-12 Settings, the K-12 Education Recovery Plan and the COVID-19 Protocols for School & District Administrators and Staff: Management of School-Associated Activity.

Key Changes:

– Monitoring of Absences is no longer recommended as part of COVID-19 management; however, school districts are still to notify the Ministry of Education and Child Care when considering or implementing a functional closure.

Key guidelines that remain in place:

– Cleaning and Disinfecting of frequently touched surfaces at least once in a 24-hour period and when visibly dirty.

– Ventilation and Air Circulation with recommendations that schools consider guidance offered by ASHRAE.

– Hand Hygiene and Respiratory Etiquette practices should continue to be reinforced with school community.

Updated information can be found on the COVID-19 safe schools web page.

View PDF here.

Late last week, the BC Government and General Employees’ Union (BCGEU) issued strike notice on behalf of their members who work in the provincial public service.

Yesterday, they began picketing at four liquor distribution centers: one in Victoria, one in Kamloops and two in the Lower Mainland. They are striking for better wages and cost of living protections, both critically important given increasing costs we are all experiencing.

Our own provincial bargaining, as the K-12 Provincial Bargaining Committee, is still set to resume September 13-15. We expect at that time to resume negotiations to achieve a new provincial framework that improves the wages and benefits of school support workers and allows us to provide the best possible services to students in British Columbia.

We encourage locals and members to show their support for striking BCGEU members. You can do this by sending messages of support or joining a picket line.

Currently the BCGEU is taking job action at these sites:

Delta Distribution Centre (DDC) – 7003 72nd Street, Delta, B.C.
Kamloops Distribution Centre (KDC) – 9881 Dallas Drive, Kamloops, B.C.
Richmond Distribution Centre (RDC) – 3389 No 6 Rd, Richmond, B.C.
Victoria Wholesale Customer Centre – 2291 Government Street, Victoria, B.C.

If the BCGEU escalates job action to additional job sites, CUPE will be informed and pass that information on to members.

Updates on BCGEU bargaining can be found at https://www.bargainingbc.ca/

View PDF here.