COVID-19

Thank you to all Manitobans fighting to flatten the curve

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Today, when asked if the Manitoba government would be providing assistance to small and medium size retail employers so they can operate safely, Premier Brian Pallister ignored this very legitimate concern, and instead  criticized unemployed Manitoba workers and the Federal Canada Emergency Response Benefit.

“We are fighting against a federal program that is actually paying people to stay out of the workforce right now. I don’t like the fact that that is real, but that is real. People are being paid to stay home and not work.”  Brian Pallister on April 29, 2020

CUPE’s message to all Manitobans is “Thank you”.

Thank you for doing your part to flatten the curve. Thank you for staying home.

All your efforts these past six weeks have been to help stop the spread of COVID-19.
You are helping to protect front-line health workers who are fighting COVID-19 every day.
You are helping seniors, elders, and those in our community who are more vulnerable to contracting COVID-19.
You are saving lives.

We encourage all Manitobans to continue practicing physical distancing.

If you are laid off, have seen your hours cut, if you are sick or in quarantine due to COVID-19, you are taking care of someone who is in quarantine or suck due to COVID-19, or you’re taking care of children or other dependents because their school or care facility is closed, please continue to access the resources available to you. Those resources are there to help you get through these difficult times and provide for yourself and your families.

You are not “being paid to stay home and not work”. You are doing your part to fight a global pandemic, and we truly thank you.

 

Week of the Early Childhood Educator, April 26 – May 2

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April 26 – May 2, 2020 has been proclaimed as the 29th Week of the ECE.

On behalf of 37,000 CUPE members across Manitoba, we thank all early childhood educators, providers, and child care staff who are on the front-lines serving our community.

The COVID-19 pandemic has shone a greater public light on the incredible value our child care workers provide to the community, a value that has been under-recognized for decades, and as a result, early childhood educators and staff have historically been underpaid. There are also thousands of unorganized child care workers across the country who have little job security and very few benefits.

“We should be looked at as professionals and not just one week out of the year, but always” says Peggy Robichaud, who sits on CUPE’s National Child Care Working Group and is President of CUPE Local 1543 at Knox Day Nursery in Winnipeg.

“Child Care has always been essential, not just in times of crisis. So I want to wish all the ECE’s, CCA’s, and Support staff to have a great ECE Week in spite of all the chaos that’s going on, and know that you are valued 365 days of the year”.

This Week of the Early Childhood Educator, CUPE hopes all Manitobans will take note of the tireless work of our child care workers across the province, and take a moment to thank the child care workers in your community.

We also hope the provincial government and child care organizations recognize the importance of fully funded, public, and accessible child care for all Manitobans and will invest in creating more public child care spaces to fill critical gaps in the care for our children.

The Manitoba government has been slowly introducing more private, for-profit child care into Manitoba, a move that could undermine the quality and accessibility of child care to many families. CUPE Manitoba has been advocating to protect public, non-profit, accessible child care and has already raised red flags over the province’s direction.

We also continue our call to the federal government for a national, universal, quality, publicly funded child care plan across Canada.

Today is an important day to recognize the work of child care workers across Manitoba, and to be steadfast in our commitment to fight for child care staff across the province, today and into the future.

CUPE represents approximately 12,000 child care workers across Canada.
Learn more about CUPE’s child care sector and our advocacy for child care workers nation-wide.

To our child care heroes, thank you!

Learn more about the Week of the ECE at the Manitoba Child Care Association.

Read the Full Provincial Proclamation

Pallister’s support for health workers is hollow

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WINNIPEG – Brian Pallister’s promise of 14 days of paid administrative leave for front-line health workers has given false hope to hundreds of health workers who have been in isolation due to COVID-19, says the Canadian Union of Public Employees.

“When Brian Pallister announced 14 days of paid administrative leave for front line health care workers, it was expected that this was to ensure workers told to self-isolate by their employer would be covered,” said Shannon McAteer, CUPE Health Care Coordinator.

“It turns out his promise only covers very few health workers, and hundreds will be forced to exhaust their sick banks, leaving the health system vulnerable in the future.”

On April 14th, Premier Pallister and health officials promised a 14-day paid leave for health care workers who come in contact with COVID-19 to self-isolate. On April 24th the government informed staff that the coverage indeed only covers staff who the employer officially recognizes have come in direct contact with COVID-19 in the workplace.

It does not cover health workers turned away at the door when they are screened coming in to work.

“When you force health workers to use their sick bank to self-isolate, you are asking those workers to return to work with no sick time available going forward,” said McAteer.

“Sick banks in health care are there for a reason, and that’s to ensure if a health worker catches a cold, or gets ill, they aren’t choosing between a paycheque or staying home: they stay home.”

Home care workers have access to a maximum of four paid sick days at any time and many have less sick time available than that. This is unacceptable at the best of times and a dire circumstance during this historic pandemic.

CUPE calls on the provincial government to extend the 14-day paid administrative leave to cover all health care workers who are sent home by their employer to self isolate.

CUPE also calls on the provincial government to extend presumptive WCB coverage to all workers who are sent home due to COVID-19.
“During a health pandemic we need to make sure workers are protected,” said McAteer. “Pallister’s support for health workers is hollow.”

Q&A for CUPE health care locals: 14-day paid administrative leave & working single sites

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CUPE has been working hard to get answers from health authorities. The following Q&A provides some answers to frequently asked questions from health care members. Keep in mind, this update is as of April 24, 2020.

Things change very quickly, and CUPE will continue trying to provide up-to-date information.

14-day Paid Administrative Leave

Q. How are staff to access/apply for the 14-days paid sick leave from the Province of Manitoba?
A. Managers and/or supervisors are supposed to review anyone who was off due to workplace exposure automatically. This applies for pick-up shifts and part-time and casual shifts that were scheduled during the period. However, it only applies while employees are asymptomatic. If employees become symptomatic, then the coverage ends and income shifts to sick time. If staff become symptomatic during quarantine, they should notify their manager and OESH.

Q. Does it apply for people who were quarantined due to travel or community exposure as well as at work?
A. No. It only covers possible exposure in the workplace.

Q. Does it apply to folks who are sent home during the onsite screening?
A. No, members will have to utilize sick leave, vacation or any banks that they have. If you do not have any of those, you may be eligible for the Canada Emergency Response Benefit (CERB) or Employment Insurance (EI). Information about these programs and how to apply can be found at: https://www.canada.ca/en/services/benefits/ei/cerb-application.html

Q. Does it apply for community/primary care clinics?
A. Yes, if the exposure is at work.

Q. When the claim is retroactive, how will it work if someone has received EI and/or CERB for that time frame?
A. If you received CERB or EI for the quarantine/isolation period and then receive this paid administrative leave from the Employer – you must report to CERB/EI when you receive the money.

Q. In what cases should I report to Workers Compensation Board (WCB) and fill out incident reports?
A. When you have been exposed at work, you should fill in an incident report and make a claim with WCB as well.

Q. Does it apply for private personal care homes (PPCH)?
A. Yes, it applies to both public and private personal care homes. However, the private (Revera and Extendicare) do not fall under the Provincial Health Labour Relations Services (PHLRS) so how it will be implemented may be different.


Working Single Sites

 

Q. Do I have to tell my Employers if I have another job?
A. Yes, during this pandemic you have to tell the Employer about additional jobs. You should not have to provide your social insurance number. Your Employer has that on record already.

Q. When will I have to start working at only one site?
A. The provincial government says that as of May 1, 2020, staff will have to work at only one site.

Q. What will happen to my EFT from the site I do not choose?
A. The Employer is saying they will try to make everyone whole. This means trying to provide you extra hours at the site at which you choose to work. If you have more than a full-time EFT between your sites, they are also trying to figure out how they will handle that. CUPE has stated members should not lose income during this process.


Q. What will happen to my benefits and pension?
A. CUPE has stated that members’ benefits and pensions must be protected. The Employer has said that they will look into this.

Q. What will happen to my wage?
A. CUPE has stated that staff should all make the higher public sector wages, no matter where you choose to work during this time.


Q. What will happen to my seniority and vacation/sick time accrual at the site I do not choose to work at?
A. CUPE has raised this as a concern. The Employer has not made a decision at this time.

Other Resources:

Federal Income Supports:
https://cupe.ca/income-supports-workers-during-coronavirus-pandemic
https://cupe.ca/canada-emergency-response-benefit-qa
https://www.canada.ca/en/services/benefits/ei.html
https://www.canada.ca/en/services/benefits/ei/cerb-application.html

CUPE Seeking Alternatives to Pallister Public Sector Layoffs

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Last week, with extremely short notice, CUPE was advised by the Pallister government about their desire to reduce the cost of so-called “non-essential” public sector workforce by 10-30 per cent. Unions and employers were initially informed about the plan through a provincial news release.

The workforce reduction will not apply to essential workers in areas like health care, child care, K-12 teaching and certain other public services and utilities – but it is alarming news from our government in the midst of the crisis of our generation. To do this, they are asking government departments and agencies to submit plans that cut workforce spending by 10%-30%.

The Manitoba Federation of Labour, CUPE, and our union friends in the Partnership to Defend Public Services attended a meeting on April 14th to discuss the request from government.

The government has presented two main options to avoid full layoffs of individual employees:

  1. Implement work-sharing agreements where “non-essential” staff would have their work week reduced to as few as two days per week and receive Employment Insurance for lost workdays. This work-sharing would have to be workplace-wide or possibly department-wide, unless positions are “essential”. The EI maximum of $54,000 per year would apply to income under this option.
  2. Expand employees’ ability to participate in a Voluntary Reduced Work Week. Under such a scenario, employees would be allowed to take up to 35 days of absence without pay. Approved VRWs may be treated as regular working days for pension, group life, and accumulated service calculations.

The work-sharing option is only possible if the federal government deems your employer eligible. Currently, the Federal Government has deemed Government Business Enterprises eligible (such as crown corporations and certain independent, revenue generating agencies) and Universities, but core government services such as the civil service and K-12education are not. The Federal Government would need to expand program eligibility further to include these last groups.

The government has so far been unable to say which public services they believe are non-essential. At the same time, the government has also made it clear that they will start making decisions on these matters very soon. The government has requested options for cost reductions by as early as Tuesday, April 21th. The provincial government has new powers under emergency legislation and could pass orders to require workforce reductions. CUPE is calling on the provincial government to respect our collective agreements.

CUPE Manitoba has serious concerns about these proposals, and some are worse than others. We are working towards the best solutions to the financial pressures of COVID-19, options that keep the public sector working. We want to keep doing our part to support health care and other public services that are so important and to work towards a collective social and economic recovery.

Across Manitoba, we are seeing the difference that public service workers are making in our communities. We know that quality public services are essential for all Manitobans – in normal times, and in these unprecedented and extremely challenging times, too.

The government’s job during a crisis is to demonstrate leadership, keep people safe, and make sure people can pay their bills and put food on the table. Cutting services and laying people off isn’t the answer. These measures reduce the government’s ability to respond and support people, and further shrinks the economy and the tax base.

We know this is creating more anxiety in your life during an already overwhelming time for all of us. We know that members have mortgages, rent, utilities and other bills to pay, and that a forced reduction in hours or days of work could create a personal crisis for you.

Please let us know how this might affect you – we would like to have stories and concerns and questions to share with management as we continue to look for answers. (We will keep your identity confidential.)

Protecting the jobs and livelihoods of our members and our communities is one of our top priorities, and we are working hard to avoid layoffs and mandatory workforce reductions across our provinces.

CUPE is here with you, and for you. Please contact your local CUPE executives if you have questions or concerns, and we’ll do everything we can to support you.

Manitoba Government responds to CUPE’s demand for 14 days paid leave, more information needed

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Today the Manitoba government announced 14-days paid administrative leave for health care workers who are sent home due to possible contact with COVID-19 in the workplace. This announcement is retroactive to March 1st.

CUPE has been advocating for 14 paid sick days for all Manitoba workers who are told by their employers to self-isolate during the COVID-19 pandemic.

On March 19 CUPE Manitoba organized a petition to call for 14 days paid leave, which garnered over 1,200 emails being sent to the government.

“We are glad the government is listening to CUPE, and moving to provide paid leave for health care workers who are sent home due to possible contact with COVID-19. This will ensure these health care workers will not be forced to use their sick banks to self isolate,” said Shannon McAteer, CUPE’s Health Care Coordinator.

“We want the government to extend this paid leave to all workers who are sent home by their employers for the 14 day isolation period,” added McAteer.

Sick banks are intended to ensure workers can take time off if they get sick. When those sick banks are used for self isolation, it results in workers not having enough sick leave if they get ill after the pandemic.

The government’s plan to provide paid leave for health workers in self-isolation due to contact with COVID-19 in the workplace will ensure these health workers have enough sick days available when the pandemic is over.

It is unclear if this extends to front-line workers who are told by the employer to self-isolate due to flu/cold symptoms, but who haven’t knowingly come into direct contact with COVID-19 in the workplace.

CUPE calls on the government to extend the 14 days paid leave to all workers being asked by their employers to self-isolate, regardless of contact with COVID-19.

“Workers who are sent home by their employers should be covered”.

Manitoba health care support workers report facing racism during COVID-19

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WINNIPEG – A new survey reveals many health care support workers on the frontlines of the
COVD-19 pandemic are experiencing anti-Asian racism.  It’s one of the findings of a Canadian Union of Public Employees membership survey of 1,877 CUPE health care workers.

One in five members responding to CUPE’s poll who self-identified as being of Asian heritage have personally experienced racism/bigotry in the workplace in the past month.  Comparatively, only one per cent of respondents who did not identify as being of Asian heritage reported experiencing racism at work in the same time period.

“Racism in the workplace and in the community is not acceptable – ever,” said Debbie Boissonneault, President of CUPE Local 204, representing health care support staff in the Winnipeg Regional Health Authority (WRHA) and Shared Health.  “Our Union stands with all front-line health workers who are experiencing racism.  CUPE is calling on all Manitobans to confront racism in the workplace, at home, and in the community,” said Boissonneault.

Over the past several months, anti-Asian racism and xenophobia have spiked across North America in the context of the outbreak of COVID-19.  This spike is a pattern of refueled racism towards the Asian population, much like what transpired during the SARS pandemic.

CUPE Manitoba is amplifying health officials in making it perfectly clear that ethnicity, background, or country of origin have nothing to do with COVID-19, in fact it is often marginalized communities that bear the brunt of pandemics due to systemic or institutionalized discrimination and colonization.

“There are other curves we need to flatten besides COVID-19,” said Abe Araya, President of CUPE Manitoba. “Manitoba is not immune to racism.  But we can fight it together.”

CUPE is urging members facing any form of harassment, discrimination and or racism to contact their employer, and let CUPE know.  “CUPE does not tolerate racism or discrimination, and our Union is dedicated to supporting our members who are targeted by ignorance and hate,” said Araya.

The online survey was conducted between March 30th and April 5th.  CUPE invited members to participate through email and member-only CUPE Facebook pages.

Respondents are CUPE members, and work in the WRHA, Shared Health, Northern Regional Health Authority, and Southern Health-Santé Sud.  The survey also showed health care support workers are not getting enough training, personal protective equipment, or support from the government.

Members are encouraged to learn about how to intervene against racism.

Two-thirds of health care support workers say Manitoba government isn’t doing enough to keep them safe at work, according to CUPE member survey

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Straw poll of 1,900 Manitoba health care support workers offers stark insight into experiences of front-line health care workers during COVID-19.

WINNIPEG – Manitoba health care support workers are not getting enough training, personal protective equipment (PPE), or support from the government, according to a new membership survey conducted by the Canadian Union of Public Employees.

“Manitoba health care workers are telling us that they need more support from the government and the health authorities,” said Shannon McAteer, CUPE’s Health Care Coordinator.

Of the 1,877 health care support workers who responded to the survey, 58 per cent indicated they feel they have not been provided with enough personal protective equipment to keep themselves and the people they care for safe.

The response from home care workers are even starker, where 77 per cent of respondents reported a lack of PPE.
53 per cent of health care support worker respondents reported receiving insufficient COVID-19 training to keep themselves and the people they care for safe.

68 per cent of survey respondents from home care reported insufficient training.

“During a pandemic we need every health care worker to have the training, personal protective equipment, and supports they require to get the job done. If health care workers feel that they aren’t being supported, then the entire system suffers,” said McAteer.

63 per cent of health care support workers responding feel the government is not doing enough to keep health care workers safe.

“It worries us that the confidence in government is so low among so many health care support staff,” said McAteer. “Nearly two-thirds of health care support workers who answered our survey felt the government hasn’t been doing enough to keep them safe. We hope the government takes note of this, and acts to support front-line support workers.”

This survey was a “straw poll” designed to get basic responses from Manitoba health care support workers about their experiences to-date during COVID-19. Some respondents did not complete the entire survey, and the poll captures a moment in time in an ever-evolving pandemic.

READ THE FULL RESULTS HERE

Information and Training from Employers about COVID-19

  • 56% of health care support workers responding indicated they feel they have enough information
    on the Employer’s COVID-19 plan to keep themselves, and patients safe.
    In home care, only 42% reported having enough information from Employers.
  • 58% of health care support workers reported receiving regular updates from their Employer on
    their workplace’s COVID-19 plan.
    In home care, only 43% reported receiving regular updates from their Employer about their
    workplace plan for COVD-19.
  • 53% of health care support worker respondents reported receiving insufficient
    COVID-19 training to keep themselves and the people they care for safe.
  • 68% of survey respondents from home care reported insufficient training.

Personal Protective Equipment

  • Only 41% of respondents indicated they feel they’ve been provided with enough personal
    protective equipment to keep themselves and the people they care for safe.
  • The responses from home care workers are even starker, where 77% of respondents reported a
    lack of PPE.

Government Response

  • 63% of health care support workers responding feel the government is not doing enough to keep
    health care workers safe.
  • 51% of health care support workers responded they feel the government is doing enough to keep patients/residents/clients safe.

Stress Levels of Health Care Workers

  • 65% of health care workers responding indicated they are suffering from stress, anxiety, depression, or insomnia due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

April 8, International Day of Pink: Show Virtual Solidarity

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The International Day of Pink is recognized annually on the second Wednesday in April.

Its sole purpose is “…to create a more inclusive and diverse world.”

It began when the youth at Jer’s Vision (now the Canadian Centre for Gender & Sexual Diversity) were inspired by the actions of David Shepherd and Travis Price, students in Nova Scotia.  They witnessed another student being bullied because they were wearing a pink shirt.  Travis and David quickly mobilized other students and pink t-shirts so the following day they could demonstrate their support of the target by wearing pink t-shirts to school.

News of their actions spread quickly and now, worldwide, people stand in solidarity, in pink, against bullying, discrimination, homophobia, transphobia, biphobia, and trans misogyny.

CUPE Manitoba members understand the principles and values of solidarity.

Because of COVID-19 this year we cannot physically stand together in pink, but we can participate in the virtual campaign/rally.

If you are able, put on a pink shirt, take a selfie and share the picture on your social media using #VirtualDayofPink.

We all know that we are strongest when we stand together. We can shape our world. Let’s help ensure there is safe space for everyone in our human family.

Take action against bullying.

WCB staff calling for presumptive coverage for workers who contract COVID-19

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MANITOBA – The Union that represents staff at the Workers Compensation Board is joining the call for presumptive coverage for workers who contract COVID-19 on the job.

“As the staff who deal with WCB claims every day, we want to do our part in supporting the front-line heroes who are fighting COVID-19,” said Dennis Kshyk, President of CUPE Local 1063 representing 500 staff at WCB.

“Presumptive coverage for workers is the right thing to do, and we believe the Manitoba government can and should be a leader in Canada.”

More front-line staff are being exposed to COVID-19, and while CUPE is calling for more Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) for all workers, presumptive WCB will help any worker who contracts COVID-19 on the job.

CUPE Local 1063 supports the Manitoba Federation of Labour’s call for presumptive WCB coverage and is ready to provide that support to Manitobans.

Today the government made an announcement that WCB should extend relief from penalties for late payments to WCB, but nothing that supports workers on the front-line fighting COVID-19.

“WCB staff are ready and willing to help support our front-line workers however we can, and presumptive WCB coverage is the way to do it,” said Kshyk.

“We know how hard health care, school, childcare, emergency services, grocery store workers, cleaners, and others are working to fight COVID-19 and support our community, and they deserve the security of knowing WCB will be there for them.”

Contact the Premier through MFL’s email petition today!

The Canadian Union of Public Employees is Canada’s largest union representing more than 700,000 members.  In Manitoba, CUPE represents approximately 37,000 members working in WCB, home care, health care facilities, personal care homes, school divisions, municipal services, social services, childcare centres, public utilities, libraries and family emergency services.