April 15, 2021 - There is an understandable amount of worry around vaccine distribution and who should get priority over others. I don’t think anyone would disagree that our elder population, and the most vulnerable amongst us should be first. Included in those that are most vulnerable are also those most at risk for contracting the virus.
The list of workers that are considered both to be sufficiently at risk and sufficiently necessary to keep our economy going varies province by province but is fairly standard overall:
- First responders (police, firefighters, emergency transport)
- Educational staff and child care staff
- Grocery store workers
- Postal workers
- Bylaw and quarantine officers
- Manufacturing workers
- Wholesale/warehousing employees
- Staff living in congregate housing
- Correctional facilities staff
As stated above, the roll-out and criteria for the rollout is dictated by each individual province. Check the vaccine priority list for your province: Alberta | British Columbia | Ontario | Quebec
As Acting President of your Local Union, I believe that technicians that enter into a customer’s home or business to do work ought to be included in the above list. We continue to be told that our work is necessary to the economic recovery effort, well it is high time that governments stop paying lip service and treat our health and our lives as importantly as other frontline workers.
Won’t you join me and write to your MLA/MPP/MNA and demand that our telecommunication technicians that do in-person work be put onto the vaccine priority worker’s list immediately.
Click on your province for the template letter to send:
Alberta | British Columbia | Ontario | Quebec
Click on your province for the list of MLA’s/MPP’s/MNA’s:
Alberta | British Columbia | Ontario | Quebec
In Solidarity,
Donna Hokiro, Acting President
USW Local 1944