Dear CUPE Local 15 Members of the Vancouver Art Gallery:
We hope that you are well and finding ways to keep safe despite the difficult circumstances surrounding our current health crisis. These are incredibly challenging and unprecedented times. The COVID-19 virus is changing all of our lives, and we are only just beginning to make sense of what it means for how we live, work, and care for one another. We encourage you to continue following our health advisors and check out our website at www.cupe15.org for information related to the worksites covered by your local, CUPE 15.
While we don’t know where this is going to go, please know that your union has your back. We’re all in this together, and we’ll get through it together.
We are meeting regularly with the employer and it is clear that the Gallery is willing to address individual needs as they arise. We have regular Labour Management meetings set up for December and into the New Year. Please email Bo or Gail if you have any issues that should be raised with the employer. We will be planning a General Membership Zoom meeting for February or March to elect a bargaining committee. A notice will be sent to members in January 2021 with dates and details.
Our President Warren Williams and your Staff Representative Gail Johnson, met with Anthony Kiendl in September and he has assured us that the Gallery’s goal is to have everybody back to work as soon as it can be safely and fiscally accomplished.
We will continue with regular discussions with your employer for the weeks to come and do our best to update you throughout the process. Your feedback is invaluable, please reach out with questions or concerns.
CUPE Local 15 is here to support our members, and we are working hard with CUPE National’s Regional Office to ensure CUPE members are able to access the information they need. As you know, information on this subject is changing rapidly so we strongly recommend everyone visit www.bccdc.ca frequently for updates from provincial health officials. CUPE 15, along with CUPE BC and CUPE National, are also actively engaged with government officials to mitigate the impact of this virus on CUPE workplaces.
If there is anything that has impacted your situation at work, please contact us. Together we’ve been able to advocate for your rights in the face of adversity and challenging times. Keep up the good work!
Below we have compiled various links to websites with up-to-date information.
Please see the following links/resources below for general information.
In solidarity,
Gail Johnson Bo Gembarsky
Staff Representative Shop Steward
gjohnson@cupe15.org bo.gembarsky@gmail.com
For latest and up-to-date information on the COVID-19 outbreak visit the BC Centre for Disease Control: www.covid-19.bccdc.ca
For more local news also visit the Government of British Columbia: www.healthlinkbc.ca/health-feature/coronavirus-disease-covid-19
Government of Canada: www.canada.ca/en/public-health/services/diseases/coronavirus-disease-covid-19
CUPE BC is regularly posting up-to-date information for all CUPE members in the province at: www.cupe.bc.ca
CUPE National also has regularly updated information at: www.cupe.ca/covid-19