Convention 2020 – Critical Update

September 18, 2020
Provincial News

Dear Members;

Re:      CONVENTION 2020 – CRITICAL UPDATE

As you may be aware, the Provincial Executive has had a multi-contingency plan in place for this year’s convention since early May.

As earlier reported, we had planned to hold convention 2020 in regional groups, connected by technology. As part of our contingency planning, we had set September 17th, 2020 as a decision point on proceeding with the above noted plan. This date was set in order to maximize planning time while being aware of the various hotel and venue cancellation polices.

Yesterday, the Provincial Executive Board (PEB) convened to debate a motion to proceed with convention. As part of that debate, some of the following factors were considered: 

  • The daily new COVID-19 infection numbers for the Province
  • The hospitalization rate and percentage of admission to critical care requirements
  • The most recent COVID-19 BC CDC surveillance reporting
  • The most recent Provincial Health Officers (PHO) orders and press releases
  • Additional considerations, such as the possibility of impacts to the public school system

With daily infections averaging over 100 and some of the single day highest numbers this week, the doubling of hospitalized patients due to COVID in the last week and outbreaks in long term care, acute care and schools, the motion to proceed with the current plan was defeated.

This means that Convention 2020 is CANCELLED 

The Union will be proceeding with an alternate contingency plan which includes the following:

  • We will be providing a two (2) hour, live broadcast to all members which will include a Presidential update and abbreviated, time sensitive reports. The date, time and platform(s) will be announced in the next few days.
  • The 2020 Retirement Dinner will be held in conjunction with next year’s event
  • Elections will be delayed until Convention 2021 with the incumbents (or vacancies) continuing until then.
  • The 2020 bylaw resolutions will be automatically submitted for next year’s convention. The Provincial Executive Board (PEB), as per the bylaws, will debate the policy and negotiations resolutions

While I know that this is disappointing and not the path we wanted to take for our annual convention, the health and wellness of our members, their families and our patients is our first priority. It is also important that we do whatever we can as a profession to maintain and preserve the health human resources of dispatchers and paramedics to be able to remain engaged in the war against COVID-19.

If you have any questions or concerns, please contact your Regional Vice-President.

Sincerely,

Troy Clifford, President
Ambulance Paramedics and Emergency Dispatchers of BC
CUPE Local 873

 

Please click HERE to view a PDF version of this message.

 

TC/sd/MoveUp