Weekly Update: February 14 - February 20

Here’s a Health & Safety themed Update, showing that when your employer won’t fix a Health & Safety problem, we can collectively get the issue fixed through vigilance and action:

Prince George mold situation corrected: Last year, the Workplace Health & Safety Committee at the Telus Prince George call centre identified what appeared to be a mold problem in the building, escalating this to management, asking for a mold test to be done. Management refused and so members conducted a mold test. The results were positive for mold, and the Union reported this violation straight to Employment and Social Development Canada, as the workplace process was not working. The workforce was then moved from the hazardous portion of the building, while renovations were completed. These renovations are now complete and air quality tests reveal that the issue has been mitigated.

Calgary Fire Department Report: In December, a fire alarm went off at the Calgary Telus / ADTbyTelus call centre, and two members got lost in the basement of the building. The members attributed their difficulty in getting out to not having had the evacuation plan clearly communicated to them. This lack of communication had previously been expressed to management repeatedly, and so the Union called the Fire Marshal, who performed an inspection and found the company was committing several Health & Safety violations, including inadequate posting of the evacuation plans and exit signage. The company must now comply or face fines.

Please forward such alleged Health & Safety violations to your employer, and if you don’t get satisfaction, forward the issue to your Workplace Health & Safety Committee (or to the Union, who will then do so). The Committee will then attempt to resolve any actual Health & Safety violations, or will escalate as far as necessary to have the problem solved.

In Solidarity,

Michael Phillips
President
USW Local 1944