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I won’t forget March 7. That day, I learned that a resident at Lynn Valley Care Centre had COVID-19. I knew the workers would be scared. And I knew that day marked a turning point for the province as we faced an unprecedented public health emergency. HEU …

When farms in British Columbia, Ontario and Alberta became hotspots for COVID-19 outbreaks, it brought to light the unsafe and precarious working conditions of migrant farmworkers. From cramped living quarters to lack of sick leave provisions, these …

Indigenous communities in B.C. were among the first to spring into action when the COVID-19 pandemic hit. Recognizing the massive risks the virus could bring to isolated, under-resourced communities, local First Nations governments worked quickly to …

The pandemic has put many pressures on the mental health of frontline workers -- from fears of contracting COVID- 19 at work and infecting loved ones at home, to workplace changes and anxiety about safety. This is particularly true for workers at …

“There are two residents with COVID-19 on my wing and we’ve run out of N95 respirators.” “My manager is restricting housekeepers to one surgical mask per shift.” “As a food service worker, I’m expected to deliver meals to residents, but I haven’t been …

Health care workers in B.C. put themselves at risk reporting to work each shift during a pandemic. And many have tested positive for COVID-19, including 262 seniors' care workers, as of August 6 – health officials are not providing regular updates for …

Guardian: Summer 2020 …

“I work the night shift so I start around 11 p.m. I like working in the peace and quiet. This way, if a resident is awake or restless, I can give them lots of attention.   When I start my shift I always do a round. I have one resident that I sing with. We …

“People are friendlier in the community. We went for a walk, and my friend waited outside this little coffee shop. I went in and there was a woman waiting – there were only two of us – and a really good song came on, ‘Here Comes the Sun’ by The Beatles, …

With collective agreements for most contracted support services workers (CSSW) expiring at the end of September 2020, HEU members in this sector are preparing for bargaining. At the same time, the union continues to push for contracted support work to be …