Provincial governments are in the early stages of re-opening businesses and public institutions. 

This week, some students across parts of Quebec are allowed to return to school under new guidelines and restrictions. Our members are understandably worried about sending their children back to these facilities. Many have indicated they will not do so at this time out of concern for the safety for their family and loved ones. They are not alone in their hesitation; when asked if he would send his kids back to school if they were re-opened, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said he doesn’t know if he would. 

Many members, concerned with the return to school, plan to use authorized leave (Code 699) to continue caring for their children until they are assured that it is safe to let them return to school or daycare.

According to new guidelines, rushed through by the Treasury Board, Code 699 is to be used when medical reasons prevent a child from returning to school or daycare or where school and/or daycare acces is not available. When there is no identifiable risk to the child, it then falls under the uncertain and unfair "manager’s discretion" 

This is unacceptable. 

"Management discretion" is not an appropriate determining factor when the health of Canadians is at stake. Our members should not be forced to make an anxiety-provoking choice between their jobs and their children’s wellbeing simply because their supervisors do not believe there is a health risk in their area. 

President Daviau has written to Nancy Chahwan, the government’s Chief Human Resources Officer, calling on the Treasury Board and separate employers to consult with unions to find a suitable solution that will allow Code 699 to be used by our members until a safe and reasonable path forward is established. 

Our consultation teams are focused on ensuring any denials of Code 699 that put our members or their families at risk are flagged immediately. We are also preparing recommendations on how the employer can continue to use Code 699 for childcare as situations evolve.

As the re-opening of Canada continues, we will share details of the Treasury Board’s return to work plan. Our priority is to ensure the health and safety of our members and their families and loved ones. You should be able to return from work with confidence and avoid undue stress and hardship in making these decisions.

If you are a parent needing support accessing Code 699 our team can support you. Please fill out our COVID-19 help form.

In November 2019, before the terrifying realities of COVID-19 were known, Oxford economist Kate Raworth gave an interview where she explained her model of sustainable and equitable development called “doughnut economics.” Over the course of the interview the conversation briefly shifted to board games to accentuate a point. She remarked “don’t play Monopoly, play Pandemic.” What she meant was, don’t play a game of winners and losers driven by greed that characterizes our current economic system. Instead, play a cooperative game where everyone comes together to solve a dynamic problem for the common good. As governments begin to ease restrictions and Canada tiptoes into the economic recovery phase, we would be wise to heed this advice.

Raworth’s doughnut theory is critical of traditional economic models that use GDP growth as the primary measurement of success. She rejects the notion that growth can go on forever without exceeding earth’s capacity to sustain it. She also asserts that modern societies tolerate unacceptable levels of inequality where too many people fall through the cracks or, to use her imagery, fall into the doughnut hole.

In response, she provides an alternative model that gives more prominence to different indicators. Ones that constrain growth based on the earth’s ecological limits (the outer ring of the doughnut) while also doing a better job of caring for people (keeping them out of the doughnut hole).

Raworth’s model is impressive and credible while remaining accessible. That being said, she’s not the first person to identify these flaws. The harder part is finding the political courage required to implement policies that subordinate growth to different priorities. The status quo is a mighty force with powerful vested interests.

In April, the municipality of Amsterdam officially embraced the doughnut model. The experiment is in its infancy but, for now, Raworth’s theory has been elevated to a higher level of legitimacy. The fact that a cosmopolitan world capital adopted this set of policies is a powerful symbol of how conventional wisdom about responsible public administration is changing. When confronted with a complicated web of problems, now more than ever, citizens want a nuanced and forward-looking response.

Canada, like Amsterdam and every government everywhere, is coping with a unique and unprecedented convergence of problems. On top of COVID-19, its economic fallout and an impending climate crisis, the price of oil has bottomed out and our public infrastructure is crumbling. The scale of response required is comparable to the mobilization efforts of World War II and the Marshall Plan that followed.

In spite of the magnitude of today’s problems, there is also space for optimism. After the war, the large-scale investment, coordination and international cooperation vaulted the global economy from the great depression into an era of shared prosperity. Today, low interest rates and low levels of federal debt mean Canada has the capacity to spend without a practical limit when considering solutions. Looking forward, there is hope but success is not guaranteed. Powerful forces will seek a return to business as usual.

The economic recovery phase is slowly beginning. All levels of government are starting to ease restrictions and chart paths to normalcy. We know governments are going to spend a lot but we don’t know what it will look like. As soon as the public purse strings loosened, a factious and gritty battle of ideas commenced. On one extreme, we have the Monopoly-playing industrialists. They are guided by self-interest and a narrow definition of wellbeing. On the other, a much broader coalition with an ambitious vision for a better world. 

We are living through an unprecedented moment. The impact of public policy decisions made in the next few years will be felt for generations. Let’s not screw it up. Success means protecting people while also acknowledging ecological limitations and accelerating the transition to a sustainable future. There is no single right path but the odds of success improve if the right framework is in place from the beginning. Canada has a lot to learn from doughnut economics.  

Originally posted on National Newswatch on May 6, 2020.

We have come to an agreement with the Treasury Board that all grievances will be suspended from March 20 to July 5, 2020, inclusively. This is a consequence of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Our agreement is in keeping with the same suspension of activity ordered by the Federal Public Sector Labour Relations and Employment Board on March 20, 2020, and is in keeping with the terms of our collective agreements.

Read the agreement

Your grievance will not be impacted by this extension. We will continue to work together to hold your employer to account. And the work on your grievance will resume as soon as it is possible.

This suspension ensures that members are able to submit any necessary grievances. The 25-day time limit to submit a grievance is also suspended. In some exceptional circumstances, we can proceed with your grievance according to the regular timelines. Contact your regional office staff for assistance.

These are challenging times and PIPSC members continue to deliver services for people across Canada. Union support is available to you for any challenges you may face in the workplace related to COVID-19.

If you need other workplace support, your local stewards are hard at work and can support you.

Grievances can be challenging at the best of times, and facing a suspension of your grievance as a result of the current health crisis is an additional challenge. We are all in this together. Please reach out to family, friends, colleagues, fellow union members and your Employee and Family Assistance Program (EFAP) for support.

If the current crisis requires it, we may agree to an extension of this suspension.

 

The Ontario government has announced pandemic pay for front-line healthcare workers. Front-line health care workers are critical to the ongoing efforts to protect Ontarians and reduce the impact of COVID-19. Their sacrifices and dedication to service are remarkable.

The details of the program released provided examples of workers who will receive pandemic pay but it did not provide an exhaustive list.

We have written to Premier Ford asking for confirmation that our members who are working on the front lines in Ontario’s cancer centres will receive pandemic pay.

Read our letter to Premier Ford
We are proud of the important work of our radiation therapists. They are subject to the provisions of the Ontario state of emergency and are essential workers who cannot refuse unsafe work.

We know these members are taking all precautions possible, using personal protective equipment (PPE) and that they are being exposed to COVID-19 in their workplaces. It is our expectation that these members receive pandemic pay in compensation for the increased risk and demands of their work during this pandemic.

We will share the response we receive from Premier Ford.

The Public Service Health Care Plan (PSHCP) will temporarily accept expenses for social workers and psychotherapists under the mental health provision.

This includes services provided directly by psychotherapists as well as social workers in all regions.

It’s okay to not be okay. This is a difficult time, please use all the supports that are available to you.

Whether or not you are covered by the PSHCP, most PIPSC members with federal, provincial or private employers, have access to an Employee and Family Assistance Program (EFAP). These programs also include mental health support that is easy to access.

We’re all in this together. Reach out to your family, friends, colleagues, fellow union members and mental health supports. We all need a hand sometimes.

Every day, PIPSC members like you work to protect Canadians, keep them safe and perform critical services.

During these unprecedented times, we rely on our public service professionals more than ever. From nurses to agricultural workers, IT professionals to scientists, we thank you for the work you do.

Recognize a fellow PIPSC member or share your own story about how we are working hard for Canadians during the COVID-19 crisis.

We will collect these stories to share on social media. Let’s celebrate the amazing work you do.

If you are a PIPSC member with a story to share about your work or the work of another PIPSC member, please let us know by submitting the form below.

Below is the decision from the PIPSC Board of Directors regarding postponed, cancelled or virtual activities.

Category Event Status
National    
  Board of Directors/Executive Committee To be held virtually
  Board committees To be held virtually
  Advisory Council To be held virtually
  Working Group on consultation To be held virtually
  Separate Employers Group To be held virtually
  Strategic Bargaining To be held virtually
  Bargaining To be held virtually

 

Events funded by Better Together Cancelled
Regional    
  Regional Executive Meeting To be held virtually
  Training committee / other regional committee meetings To be held virtually
  Regional Councils 2020 Cancelled
  Basic Steward Training May be held virtually
  Labour School Cancelled
  Branch Executive Meetings To be held virtually
  Branch AGM Rescheduled
  Lunch & Learns Cancelled
Group    
  Group Executive Meetings To be held virtually
  Group AGM May be held virtually
  Sub-Group Executive Meetings To be held virtually
  Sub-Group AGM Rescheduled
  Member events/meetings Cancelled
Consultation Teams    
  Labour Management Consultation Meetings To be held virtually
  Consultation Team Meetings To be held virtually
  Member Events/Meetings Cancelled
  Consultation Symposium Cancelled

 

Working on the front lines in Ontario’s hospitals during the COVID-19 pandemic response? Understand your rights and responsibilities in situations that may arise. Ontario’s Occupational Health & Safety Act (OHSA) requires employers to:

  • keep a safe and well-maintained workplace
  • take all reasonable precautions to protect workers from illness and/or injury
  • provide information about the hazards in the workplace, proper safety equipment, training, and competent supervision

As workers, you have a corresponding duty to work safely and not take risks, report hazards, and use equipment and protective devices properly where required.

Can the hospital reassign me to other duties?

Yes, the hospital can temporarily reassign staff to temporary duties to achieve the purposes of the hospital’s redeployment plan, provided you are adequately trained or educated as needed to perform the reassignment duties.

This is a temporary authority specific to the pandemic, as announced in the Ministry of Health’s “Extraordinary Steps to Ensure Health Care Resources are Available to Contain COVID-19.”

This temporary order provides hospitals with the ability to cancel and postpone services to free up space and valuable staff, identify staffing priorities, and develop, modify and implement redeployment plans.

In addition to redeployment and reassignment, hospitals may also change the scheduling of work or shift assignments, defer or cancel vacations, absences or other leaves, and employ extra part-time or temporary staff or contractors, or use volunteers, including for the purpose of performing bargaining unit work. When utilized by hospitals during this temporary period, these redeployment plans temporarily supersede the provisions of a collective agreement, including grievance, notice and layoff rights.

Can I refuse the redeployment or reassignment?

No. If you have concerns about the nature of the reassignment, such as your training or education to perform the required work, you should immediately express these concerns to your manager.

If you feel your health and safety or that of a colleague or patient is jeopardized by a task or assignment that you are being asked to perform, please contact your steward immediately.

For questions about your rights and responsibilities in the workplace, please fill out the COVID-19 help form to reach our Labour Relations team.

Can I refuse unsafe work, such as being asked to work in close proximity to a patient without being provided personal protective equipment?

Workers in Ontario have the right to refuse unsafe work when the worker has reason to believe the condition of the workplace is likely to endanger the worker or another worker. As hospital employees, the right to refuse unsafe work does not apply if:

  • the circumstance is inherent in the worker’s work or is a normal condition of the worker’s employment
  • the worker’s refusal to work would directly endanger the life, health or safety of another person

For example, an experienced Radiation Technologist could not, in the course of regular work, refuse to treat a patient using a well-functioning machine or device to which you have been assigned and are qualified and trained to use. However, the technologist could refuse to treat a patient with the machine where proper protective clothing and safety equipment are not available. Dealing with radiation is “inherent in the technician’s work” in a healthcare facility, but doing so without proper protective clothing or equipment, where such exists, is not “inherent.”  

During SARS, an Ontario Nurses’ Association member exercised her right to refuse unsafe work when the employer requested she care for a SARS patient without being fitted with the required N95 respirator. The Ministry of Labour upheld her work refusal and ordered that this worker not be required to care for a SARS patient until she was properly fit tested with an N95 respirator. The Ministry of Labour ordered the employer to develop a plan to immediately fit-test all its workers.  

Can I choose not to wear personal protective equipment that has been issued to me?

No, not if the personal protective equipment is required to work safely without risk of injury or illness. A worker who refuses to work safely may be subject to discipline and/or sent home. Refusal to wear personal protective equipment may also be a determining factor in a claim for WSIB benefits (see below).

We encourage all members to work safely, report risks and hazards, and wear required personal protective equipment to protect yourself, your co-workers and your loved ones.

If I am exposed to COVID-19 at work, what should I do?

Any hospital employee who believes they have been exposed to COVID-19 while at work should immediately report the exposure to their supervisor or manager, and take immediate steps to contain the risk to prevent others from being exposed.

Any worker who contracts COVID-19 arising out of and in the course of your employment should file a workplace injury report. If you are unsure how to proceed in this case, please contact us.

Am I entitled to be paid for scheduled shifts if I am sent home due to a workplace exposure?

You should not lose wages or benefits as a result of being required to self-isolate due to a possible workplace exposure. Arrangements are being made with employers to ensure that pay is continued in such circumstances. If you are unsure how to proceed in this case, please contact us.

Am I entitled to WSIB Benefits if I contract COVID-19 due to a workplace exposure?

A worker is entitled to WSIB benefits for COVID-19 arising out of and in the course of the worker’s employment.  

In assessing a claim for WSIB benefits, the WSIB will consider a number of factors to establish that the worker’s employment duties or requirements were a significant contributing factor in the worker contracting COVID-19. WSIB will consider information gathered during the assessment, including information about the work environment, work processes, job tasks, and use of personal protective equipment.

For guidance on how to proceed with a claim, please contact us.

WSIB coverage is not provided for workers who are symptom-free even when quarantined or sent home on a precautionary basis. However, should a symptom-free worker develop symptoms or illness while in quarantine, they may be eligible for WSIB benefits.

The PIPSC Board of Directors met on March 27, 2020, to review and further assess how we can do our part to adhere to government and health agencies’ COVID-19 recommendations and restrictions. 

PIPSC in-person union activities are postponed until June 30, 2020. The Board of Directors will re-assess this decision no later than June 12, 2020. 

Some activities will be moved online. Unfortunately, some trainings have been cancelled. Any travel arrangements that have been made by PIPSC will be cancelled directly by our team. 

In these unprecedented circumstances, the Board of Directors has suspended all associated by-law due dates or requirements of constituent bodies that may be impacted by the postponement of events. Further details will be shared directly with constituent body executives in the coming days.

During this stressful time, we want to thank PIPSC members for their cooperation. Our team will work with constituent bodies to make alternative arrangements.

As front-line professionals delivering critical health care in our province, we want to recognize the demanding and stressful time that our members, their colleagues, families and loved ones face.

PIPSC President Debi Daviau, on behalf of all PIPSC members, joins all Canadians in expressing appreciation to our members in health services for their dedication and commitment in responding to this crisis.

We are working hard to respond to the concerns identified by the following ON Groups:

  • Sunnybrook Mechanical and Electronic Technologists (SUN-MET)
  • Sunnybrook Radiation Therapists (SUN-RT)
  • Radiation Therapists - Juravinski Cancer Centre (JCC)
  • Radiation Therapist - Thunder Bay Regional (TBH-RT)
  • Windsor Radiation Therapists (WRH-RT)

On March 21, 2020, the Ontario Ministry of Health announced it was implementing “Extraordinary Steps to Ensure Health Care Resources are Available to Contain COVID-19.” This temporary order provides hospitals with the ability to cancel and postpone services to free-up space and valuable staff, identify staffing priorities, and develop, modify and implement redeployment plans.

Under this temporary order, hospitals including Hamilton Health Sciences, Niagara Health, Sunnybrook Health Sciences, Thunder Bay Regional Health Sciences Centre, Windsor Regional Hospital, will be able to respond to, prevent and alleviate an outbreak of COVID-19 by carrying out measures such as:

  1. Redeploying staff within different locations in (or between) facilities of the hospital;
  2. Redeploying staff to work in COVID-19 assessment centres;
  3. Changing the assignment of work, including assigning non-bargaining unit employees or contractors to perform bargaining unit work;
  4. Changing the scheduling of work or shift assignments;
  5. Deferring or cancelling vacations, absences or other leaves, regardless of whether such vacations, absences or leaves are established by statute, regulation, agreement or otherwise;
  6. Employing extra part-time or temporary staff or contractors, including for the purpose of performing bargaining unit work;
  7. Using volunteers to perform work, including to perform bargaining work;
  8. And providing appropriate training or education as needed to staff and volunteers to achieve the purposes of a redeployment plan.

When utilized by hospitals, these redeployment plans temporarily supersede the provisions of a collective agreement. This could include lay-offs, seniority/service or bumping provisions, allowing for the redeployment of staff to address the containment of COVID-19 without restriction or delay.

This time-limited order is valid for 14 days unless revoked or renewed in accordance with the Emergency Management and Civil Protection Act.

These exceptional and unprecedented measures are concerning for our members.

President Daviau has written to the Presidents of Hamilton Health Sciences, Niagara Health, Sunnybrook Health Sciences, Thunder Bay Regional Health Sciences Centre and Windsor Regional Hospital to express our commitment to collaborate and ensure the response to the crisis is effective and all risks for patients and staff are minimized to the greatest extent possible.

In return, we asked for the hospital’s commitment to consult and collaborate with our representatives to draw upon their experience and knowledge to ensure the most effective, sustainable and safe response.

The success of this crisis response ultimately relies upon the capacity of the workforce to maintain services under stressful circumstances for an extended period.

The health and safety of hospital employees must be maintained. This includes:

  1. Where redeployment is considered necessary, ensuring employees are adequately equipped, trained and qualified to perform the required work;
  2. Should reassignment or rescheduling be considered necessary, ensuring adequate notice to allow employees to manage family responsibilities, including childcare, elder care and sufficient rest periods;
  3. Ensuring that work from home arrangements for employees not required on-site are utilized and supported to the fullest extent possible;
  4. Providing paid leave to employees forced to stay home due to sickness, quarantine or family care in those situations where alternate care cannot be arranged; and
  5. Ensure Personal Protective Equipment is deployed when appropriate, without exception.

PIPSC staff are taking immediate steps to address these items further with the hospital and your group representatives.

If you feel your health and safety or that of a patient or colleague is jeopardized by a task or assignment that you are being asked to perform, please contact your steward immediately.

For questions about your rights and responsibilities in the workplace, please fill out the COVID-19 Help Form to reach our Labour Relations team.

PIPSC stands behind our members in ensuring they have the support to fulfill their professional responsibilities.