Image Credit: CFJC Today

By Amandalina Letterio

BC TRANSIT

Around a dozen unvaccinated BC Transit workers in Kamloops put on unpaid leave

Nov 30, 2021 | 4:30 PM

KAMLOOPS — Around a dozen BC Transit workers in Kamloops will be placed on an unpaid leave of absence as of Tuesday (Nov. 30).

It comes after the company made it mandatory for all its employees across the province to be vaccinated by Monday (Nov. 29).

Unifor 114 is the union that represents BC Transit workers.

“What we have is a small but very vocal number of people who believe that vaccine mandates are not the way to go, contrary to all public health declarations and scientific declarations,” Gavin McGarrigle, the western regional director for Unifor 114, said.

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The absence of these unvaccinated employees will add to a transit staffing shortage in Kamloops. BC Transit says this could impact bus schedules in the city.

In an email to CFJC News, BC Transit says:

“The current impacts to service have resulted in the need to slightly alter schedules on short notice to reflect changing conditions within the system. To minimize the impact these service challenges are having on customers, alerts are being posted immediately on BC Transit’s website once trip cancellations are confirmed.”

BC Transit adds that it’s making an effort to hire more employees — stating that it has a recruitment campaign underway.

“The organization is working with our operating company, First Canada, to rectify this issue and currently has a transit operator recruitment campaign underway.”

The union is currently bargaining with BC Transit to improve working conditions with its employees, which it believes will also help with recruitment and retainment.

“It’s about what the working conditions are like, what the benefits are like, what the job security is, like all of those things,” McGarrigle said. “Certainly, increasing wages and making sure people are rewarded for being those frontline heroes all this time.”

McGarrigle adds that most BC Transit union members are vaccinated and want to work in a safe workplace.

“They want to make sure the workplace is designed in a way that’s safe for them. Certainly, ensuring that the workplace is fully vaccinated goes a long way toward that.”