CUPE 379, Peer to Peer Page
102-4268 Lozells ave v5a 0c6 Burnaby, BC, Canada

HI CUPE 379 members First off, I want to say thank you to all the staff that have been working tirelessly to have the schools ready for September. There has been a lot of focus on creating the safest environment for all staff and students to return to. I know there is a lot of information to digest out there, and this is causing some issues for our members. I can assure you that on every level, your union is making sure procedures are in place to make this transition b...ack to classroom learning as safe as possible. Provincially CUPE BC is working with CUPE National staff to set policies with Ministers and the Public Health Officer, to ensure districts have appropriate targets created and met. Locally CUPE 379 is meeting with Burnaby Board staff to ensure we go above and beyond these targets. Issues such as distancing and PPE are at the forefront, as well as contact tracing and screening procedures. We all know that our world has changed, this global pandemic is affecting every aspect of our lives. Through the end of the previous school year we have come together to help others, be it through delivering food, disinfecting schools or providing essential service workers support through classes for their children. I know a lot of you have been checking on neighbours, providing respite and supporting local businesses to help where we can. For this I thank you. Now, as our current members have since 1978 (top seniority) CUPE 379 will be preparing to welcome back the student population. We will have the schools mechanically sound, cleaned and organized as we always do. We will process the attendance and meet the first students that are dropped off early, we will engage and support those that need it most. We will support the education system as CUPE 379 always has, for without us, the system fails. There will be countless discussions and meeting before we welcome back the students, all staff will be briefed prior to students return. Every level on the Unions and Government side, will be continuing to hammer out details based on the most recent information available. Once we have finalized agreements, we will make sure all members are notified. As everyone knows this situation is evolving and changing regularly (for all of us) please check back closer to September when we should have solid information we can provide. In Solidarity Paul Simpson CUPE 379 President

Cupe 379 Elected Executive 2020-2022

Union meeting Saturday. Check your emails for invite.

re: Ea's working Wednesdays The first problem with the Union requesting EA's work remotely on Wednesdays as the teachers in Burnaby do (this issue has been raised multiple times) is, we are not teachers. Our members have different roles and responsibilities. So comparing our jobs to theirs has never has been a fair test to determine our rights. Secondly, if we did try to compare our situation to others lets compare CUPE to CUPE even EA to EA. We have all of our classificatio...ns working everyday, so to argue a few should be treated differently than their peers, would create an inequality amongst ourselves. More specifically all EA's would not have the ability to work from home due to, ESW classes and other duties, thus creating issues amongst smaller, more specific, peer groups. For these main reasons, the union has/will not push the issue to have a select few of our members sent home for the last 3 applicable days (Wed) of the school term. In solidarity

I want it to be very clear. CUPE 379's position is that all staff in Burnaby schools are free to pitch in with disinfecting touch surfaces, in order to continue providing safe schools. No one should be doing other custodial duties other than custodians.