On behalf of our component's Parks Organizing Committee, I would like to update you about progress made on improving health and safety committees at BC Parks worksites. 

As you'll likely recall, BC Parks was ordered by WorkSafeBC in September 2020 to update and make changes to workplace Occupational Health & Safety (OHS) policies and practices. We wrote to you about this in November. The media also covered the issue.

Our component has been supporting the efforts of BC Parks staff to organize their members employed by BC Parks to ensure that BC Parks (and the Public Service Agency) addresses these deficiencies. Initially through the Article 29 Joint Committee, and through the creation of the Parks Organizing Committee, we have sought to include your input at every step of the process. 

Because of your effort, the following has happened to date:

• BCGEU members at BC Parks, with BCGEU OHS staff, reviewed and commented on the recent staff survey on violence in the workplace. The ministry incorporated some of the feedback received into the survey.
   
• BCGEU staff, officers and stewards employed at BC Parks worked with the ministry to ensure there is a representative and functioning OHS committee – accessible to every BC Parks worksite – to address workplace safety. 
   
• To support the creation of these OHS committees, our union utilized a Ranger on layoff and a group of BCGEU members organizing within BC Parks to reach out to fellow BC Parks members. Employee representatives are appointed by the BCGEU and our goal was to ensure that we could fill every position on every OHS committee. 
   
• Each BCGEU local chairperson has been sent a list of members recommended for appointment to committees, and we're working on next steps to provide training to all OHS committee members, as outlined in this email to them on January 28.

I also want you to know that when hired as a BC Parks employee, you are entitled to an introduction to the BCGEU on the employer's time. To do this, our Parks Organizing Committee worked to arrange with the employer to include this opportunity in your annual Ranger training. We expect to implement this in some form this spring.
 
Going forward, and as Parks implements changes:

• Improved training, equipment and personal protective equipment (PPE) for our members is expected.
• Better oversight of safety programs to ensure lapses do not occur in the future.
• Our Parks Organizing Committee will be working with the employer to ensure all incidents (including near misses) are properly reported and investigated. It is up to you, BCGEU members, to report these incidents and follow-up with your OHS committee reps to make sure they have been properly resolved. 
• The Parks Organizing Committee itself will look at transitioning to a more defined structure with support from the Component Executive.

The Parks Organizing Committee knows these actions will likely result in necessary procedure changes at worksites. We wish to remind you that WorkSafeBC – the organization with legislative responsibilities to prevent injury, disease and disability at work – determined that there were problems at BC Parks, and that the Public Service Agency did not appeal any of the orders issued. We think that the Ministry's compliance with WorkSafeBC's orders is a good first step and we will continue to work to ensure all member rights are protected, including the right to a safe workplace. Any questions you may have about the need or value of these actions should be directed to your OHS Committee member representatives.

If you have any other questions, or would like to contact myself or your other elected representatives, you can find our contact details through your steward or at https://www.bcgeu.ca/component-20-executive

In solidarity,

Rob Davis
Vice President, Component 20 (Environmental, Technical and Operational) 

UWU/MoveUP