With the Ontario Government announcing that it will be extending the Emergency Order until May 19, 2020. This must be their way of controlling social distancing until after the long weekend.
With that being said, we’ll have to cancel our membership meeting for May 12 2020.
OTTAWA – The Ottawa Local of the Canadian Union of Postal Workers will tomorrow April 30th, 2020 acknowledge and show their appreciation and thanks to all those working in Ottawa area hospitals by forming a caravan at the Ottawa General, Ottawa Civic and the Queensway Carleton Hospital.
“Our membership wanted to reach out to health care workers in the city and show our tremendous appreciation and thanks to all those workers for what they have done and continue to do during this coronavirus pandemic. It was decided a Health Care Workers Express convoy of our members driving safely past the hospital with signs and waving was a small way we could perhaps show that sentiment”, said Ian Anderson, president of the CUPW Ottawa Local.
The caravan at the three Ottawa area hospitals is set to commence at approximately 10:15am simultaneously at the Ottawa Hospital General Campus on Smyth Road, the Civic Campus on Carling Avenue as well as the Queensway Carleton hospital on Baseline Road.
The Ottawa Local 580 of the Canadian Union of Postal Workers is comprised of approximately 1200 members employed by Canada Post.
OTTAWA – Although officially observed by the Canadian Labour Congress since 1984 April 28th was first proclaimed a Day of Mourning by an Act of Parliament in 1991. Today in over one hundred countries around the world, in cities and in towns, April 28th is officially observed.
This year marks the 37th year since the first observance. It is also the 28th anniversary of the Westray Mine disaster that saw the lives of 26 miners taken on March 9th, 1992 as a direct result of the workplace. The disaster also brought forward changes to Canada’s Criminal Code in 2004 making it possible to prosecute employers for negligence leading to workplace death and/or injury.
Across Canada close to one thousand workers die each year and many more are injured as a direct result of the workplace.
The annual ceremony attended by approximately 500 people including injured workers, coworkers, family members, elected officials and others at Vincent Massey Park in Ottawa will be instead taking place as a virtual ceremony. The approximate 40 minute Zoom webinar ceremony commences at 12:30pm on April 28, 2020 and will feature speakers and a minute of silence for all those workers impacted as a result of the workplace.
The virtual ceremony is open to all and accessed through https://zoom.us/j/93891174077
“We need to continue to mourn for the dead and to fight for the living. This includes ensuring that all workers are provided with PPE and the proper training to use it safely. Our role as labour and indeed that of our elected officials, employers and the broader community is to ensure we strengthen health and safety for all workers. COVID-19 did not create this need rather it reinforced the necessity”, said Sean McKenny, president of the Ottawa and District Labour Council.
The Ottawa and District Labour Council (ODLC) has been the voice of working people in the Ottawa area since 1872. The ODLC currently represents 92 local unions with a combined membership of 50,000 working men and women and is the largest democratic and popular organization in the Ottawa area.
Contacts:
Sean McKenny – 613 862 5150
Ottawa and District Labour Council – 613 233 7820
Dear Members,
Below are the most recent changes for the co-vid outbreak that affect our group. We will be sending updates when we have them to keep members informed.
CUPE’s stance on N95 masks is: if you see someone from the medical team wearing an N95 mask, then you should also be given the same PPE. Please ask the employer for one and if denied speak to your site rep as soon as possible. Make sure to include who denied you and the reasoning for the denial.
If you believe you require a parking accommodations please reach out to Occupational Health regarding your circumstances. They will be able to assist with the proper information.
If you have any questions regarding the governments CERB benefit plan; below is the link and it is a great source of information.
Canada.ca/en/department-finance/economic-response-plan
As is being widely reported in the news, the Quebec government announced that beginning at noon today it is banning non-essential travel into Quebec. Hospital workers are essential and therefore exempt. However, you must be prepared to show evidence of your employment, so please ensure you have your hospital ID badge with you at all times. Please email human resources at labourrelations@toh.ca if you have any issues crossing the border so we can support you.
*French Translation to follow.
Please help us send a message to the government that health care workers deserve protection, especially during this critical time. Email your MPP and ask them to help protect ALL health care workers.
Please find a draft letter (click link or image) to register your info.
*French translation to follow.
Because of the many changes that have occurred to employment legislation recently due to the COVID19 health crisis, we have produced a summary for members of these changes, along with some FAQ’s at the conclusion. All of the documents referred to are available below and we encourage members to read the documents, understand your rights and keep informed in a quickly changing time.
First, we have received a Q and A from the Ottawa Hospital which addresses how absences related to COVID will be coded, both for full-time employees and for part-time and casual employees. The Q & A was sent to the union by the Hospital. We encourage you to read it carefully. Members will see that part-time and casual employees who are not normally entitled to paid sick leave, will be paid sick leave for any absence between March 15 and April 5, 2020 inclusive for suspected or confirmed cases of COVID19. Hospital payments to part-time and casual employees end on April 5, 2020 and afterward any part-time employee or casual who does not qualify for sick leave can apply, if eligible, to the federal government for benefits, including Canada Emergency Response Benefit (‘CERB’) which is discussed below. Here are the federal benefits for which an employee can apply. https://www.canada.ca/en/department-finance/economic-response-plan.html
Employees who involuntarily cease employment because of COVID19 are entitled to apply to the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) to receive CERB payments of up to $2000 per month. This is an entirely new benefit and applications can be made on the CRA website beginning April 6, 2020. If you plan on applying for CERB and are not registered on the CRA website you should register now rather than waiting until April 6, as this may speed up processing. Employees who would normally be entitled to apply for EI, remain entitled to EI payments. Once again, application for this benefit must be made on the CRA website.
The Province of Ontario has amended the Employment Standards Act to provide for unpaid leave for employees in emergency circumstances arising from the COVID19 outbreak. The circumstances giving entitlement to the leave are as follows:
The list of affected family members for whom a COVID19-related leave is available to provide care is lengthy and set out here.
Finally, in order to obtain leave from the Hospital under this amendment, an employee does NOT need to provide a medical certificate. However, an employee may be required to provide other reasonable proof. For example, if an employee needs to look after her child because of a daycare closure, she may need to provide some proof of the closure if asked.
On March 21, 2020 the Province of Ontario filed Regulation 74/20 under the EMCP Act. The Regulation permits hospitals to override provisions in the collective agreement related to the performance of bargaining unit work, where reasonably necessary to deal with the COVID19 outbreak. The Regulation permits the assignment of work to those excluded from the bargaining unit such as contractors, volunteers, supervisors and other excluded employees, where reasonably necessary, even when it would otherwise violate the collective agreement. Also, the Regulation permits the Hospital to make redeployment decisions that conflict with the terms of the collective agreement and to decline vacations and other leaves, again where reasonably necessary.
Finally, while the Union will be assiduously monitoring to ensure that any non-compliance with the collective agreement meets the test of being reasonably necessary, the Regulation allows the Hospital to suspend dealing with grievances during the period of the COVID19 outbreak.
We are providing a copy of the Regulation for members to review.
Stay safe everyone!
If you have any questions regarding COVID please forward to cupevd19@cupe4000.com
Alternatively, please call the main office at 613-722-0652 ext 270
French translation to follow
Dear Members,
Below are the most recent changes for the co-vid outbreak that affect our group. We will be sending updates when we have them to keep members informed.
Management gave an update on the deployment of masks. Currently there is no shortage and Housekeeping and Logistical Services staff will start each shift with a minimum of 4 masks. If your mask ended up damaged and/or is in need of replacing; management will be able to provide you with more masks.
If you are casual and have no scheduled hours you can make a request for a LOA. Please reach out to your employer for your Record of Employment (ROE) for your files.
If you believe that your hours are being reduced please notify the Redeployment Team, specifically Robert Gauthier, at 613-722-0652 ext 273
If you have pre-scheduled vacation and would like to cancel, you are more than able to. Staff would keep the hours of vacation that were not used. Please reference staff bulletin provided by the employer, March 13, 2020 for clarity.
Any questions or concerns please email us at covid19@cupe4000.com.
All Hospital members, in addition to medical professionals, provide essential services during a public health crisis and should be recognized for the critical support they provide to TOH.
Dear Members,
Below are the most recent changes for the co-vid outbreak that affect our group. We will be sending updates when we have them to keep members informed.
Guidelines for usage of surgical/procedure masks:
CUPE’s stance is that anybody who wants a mask should be provided one. That would also include N95 and fit testing. If you are declined then please document who declined you and inform your CUPE representative for follow up. Whatever PPE is being provided to medical staff should be provided to CUPE members. If you have never been fit tested and they can’t fit test you, the employee may have the right to refuse unsafe work.
Sick leave/benefits
The employer has notified us that as of April 6th they will no longer be paying sick leave to part-time casual staff. The federal government has introduced a benefit for staff who are not typically entitled to sick leave and the staff can go that route. The new benefit is called Canada Emergency Response Benefits (CERB).
Any staff who meet the criteria for co-vid related sickness MUST notify OHW of their status and may access the following health benefits as of April 6, 2020, made available by the federal government: (click link)
The following criteria is what they deem co-vid related sickness
All FT staff on self-isolation with suspected or confirmed cases of the virus will be coded “LSK” for all pre-scheduled shifts. LSK is a paid sick leave code.
Deployment Clause
With the new temporary order, the employer has the ability to suspend certain parts of the collective agreement and redeploy staff. Our stance on this is that they use our members as much as possible and fill in all the gaps as they come arise. After discussion with the employer this is also their intent and they agree on principle. If you have any concerns document them and speak with a representative.
