Dear Component 1 members in the Okanagan,

As the OCC prepares for a possible evacuation or other emergency measures, many of you have been asked to stand by to assist if needed. Thank you for your hard work and readiness during this period of uncertainty.

With a rapidly changing situation such as this, it's important to clarify that stand by is paid time, to be compensated at a rate of one hour's straight pay for every three hours on stand by.

It is outlined in our collective agreement under section 14.5(a)

14.5 Standby Provisions

(a) Where employees are required to stand by to be called for duty under conditions which restrict their normal off-duty activities, they shall be compensated at straight-time in the proportion of one hour's pay for each three hours standing by. An employee designated for standby shall be immediately available for duty during the period of standby at a known telephone number. No standby payment shall be made if an employee is unable to be contacted or to report for duty when required. The provisions of this clause do not apply to part-time employees who are not assigned a regular work schedule and who are normally required to work whenever called.

With everything going on around this situation, It's important that we ensure that members' rights are looked after appropriately. If you have any questions about how this applies to you, or feel that you have not been fairly compensated, please contact your union steward.

I'm always proud of the hard work of COs and Sheriffs in our province, and this once again shows your dedication to public safety in our communities.

I wish you and your families safety as everyone – including your BCGEU brothers and sisters in the Wildfire Service – works together to protect your community from these wildfires.

In Solidarity,

Dean Purdy
BCGEU Vice President
Component 1 – Corrections and Sheriff Services

UWU/MoveUP