The New Westminster school board marked a minute of silence at its Tuesday night meeting to recognize the National Day of Mourning.
The day, April 28, is observed each year to recognize the lives of workers who have been killed or injured on the job.
New Westminster school trustees heard from two delegations on the issue at their April 27 meeting: one from the New Westminster and District Labour Council, and the other from CUPE Local 409, the union representing school district support staff.
Labour council delegate Andii Stephens told trustees the day is about both taking time to remember workers and to rededicate efforts to preventing future workplace injuries and deaths.
She said the pandemic has exposed the lack of protection for many workers on the job as the COVID-19 virus has spread through factories, farms, food processing plants, warehouses, schools, offices and other sectors.
Stephens said the stresses of the COVID-19 pandemic have been felt by both front-line workers, who risk exposure every day, and by those working from home, who face new challenges with setting up safe workspaces and balancing their work and family lives.
She asked the school board to join the labour council’s call for universal paid sick leave.
“Being able to stay home when you’re sick is fundamental to reducing workplace exposures and illnesses,” she said.
CUPE Local 409 president Marcel Marsolais said the union uses April 28 to reaffirm its solidarity and commitment to the cause of worker safety.
“We mourn the dead, and we fight for the living,” he said.
Marsolais said issues such as violence in the workplace and mental health are of particular concern to his members.
He also asked the board to ensure that all employees are able to access their COVID-19 vaccine appointments, if necessary, during the working day. He urged the school district not to wait for provincial legislation to that effect but to ensure that it approaches the issue in a “compassionate” way.
“We want to ensure that everyone is given an opportunity to get vaccinated,” he said.
(The government of B.C. announced this morning, April 28, that legislation is now in effect providing workers with up to three hours of paid leave for the purposes of COVID-19 vaccination. The legislation is retroactive to April 19.)
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