In a meeting held today with the Department of Health and Community Services, we were notified that regional health authorities in Newfoundland and Labrador recently discovered counterfeit N95 respirators in their inventory. Immediate steps were taken by the RHAs to remove the counterfeit masks and, at this time, only a small number are unaccounted for. In addition to CUPE, representatives …
COVID-19 vaccine: protection for frontline workers
CUPE NL is encouraged by news of the imminent arrival of the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine and the news that health care workers, particularly those in long term care or positions with potential for exposure to COVID-19. This is an important development for the health and safety of our members across the province. Our members providing front line health services have …
Academic study finds Ontario health care staff worked under psychological distress in pandemic, feeling “sacrificed” and violated
On November 24, 2020, a study entitled “Sacrificed: major study of health care workers during the time of COVID” was released by the Ontario Council of Hospital Unions-Canadian Union of Public Employees (OCHU-CUPE). The study was published in New Solutions: A Journal of Environmental and Occupational Health Policy. The research was done in collaboration with OCHU-CUPE, based on extensive interviews …
November 17: CUPE members are invited to a 30-minute webinar on occupational health and safety
CUPE members across Newfoundland and Labrador are heavily involved in the work to make their workplaces safe and healthy and they face many challenges in advancing this agenda. Some employers are not cooperative and joint workplace health and safety committees can easily be dominated by the employer’s priorities. Education is the tool that can level the playing field and allows …
October 27 – COVID-19 and occupational health and safety
To all CUPE members in Newfoundland and Labrador: COVID-19 has created countless health and safety challenges for public sector workers in Newfoundland and Labrador. In this webinar we will explore the emergence of modern OH&S practices and how responding to COVID-19 is leading to a new series of health and safety challenges. Tuesday, October 27, 2020 at 7 PM Register …
NEW – Health and Safety Committee Support Sessions via Zoom!
Open to CUPE members in Nova Scotia, Newfoundland and Labrador The COVID-19 pandemic has created new Health and Safety challenges in workplaces across all sectors. CUPE members on health and safety committees have been working hard to represent their members concerns and address the risks they face. Recognizing the unique challenges these members face, CUPE is developing new approaches to …
School re-entry plan sketchy on details
Returning to school without a more detailed plan is a mistake says the union representing school custodians, secretaries and bus drivers. Sherry Hillier, President of the Canadian Union of Public Employees Newfoundland and Labrador says she has serious concerns about the government’s school re-entry plan, and wants to see more engagement with stakeholders prior to the beginning of the school …
Health and Safety resources for CUPE members
There is much talk in the media lately about returning to school, and understandably we are all anxious about what this will look like — staff, students and parents alike. While much of the attention appears to be on masking and physical distancing in classrooms, rest assured that we have been having regular discussions with government and the English School …
COVID-19 Prevention for Community and Social Services Workplaces
As the global pandemic of COVID-19 persists, CUPE wants to ensure that employers and members continue to implement leading practices to prevent workplace exposure to the virus which causes COVID-19. The guidance in this document is specific to addressing the hazard related to COVID-19. It is intended to assist CUPE health and safety activists in their efforts to ensure that …
Joint statement: COVID-19 and personal protective equipment
CUPE and the other health care unions (AAHP, NAPE, RNUNL, PARNL, and NLMA) have signed on to a joint statement with the Government of Newfoundland and Labrador which will guide how we use personal protective equipment (PPE) in health care settings. The purpose of the joint statement on PPE is to ensure that all CUPE members have access to appropriate …