Coronavirus Update 44

This bulletin serves to provide urgent information that members have been writing to the Union about in the previous 48 hours. Please ensure to read this bulletin in full prior to contacting the Union as we are currently experiencing higher than normal volumes of emails and calls.

SERVICE:
We have heard our members concerns loud and clear regarding service levels and onboard exposure, renewed due to confirmed higher transmission rates for the Omicron variant. The Union held two high-level meetings with management over the past week, followed by a corporate risk assessment yesterday. We have heard that N/A Bistro service is overly complicated and results in too much verbal interaction and delays moving down the aisle, and that Signature class is too long and provides too many opportunities for passengers to be maskless.

Despite raising your many suggestions and concerns yesterday, the Company will be postponing a decision on service until the new year. This is not the proactive solution the Union was seeking given the circumstances we all find ourselves in.

We continue to hold discussions, and therefore reporting concerns via health and safety complaints if you have them remains critical. Be as detailed as possible and provide suggestions if you have them. Please know that although there may not be immediate service changes, we continue to collaborate with the Company on other important initiatives that come directly from your comments ex. Masking challenges, PPE concerns etc.

See below for links to the Union’s reporting bulletins.

WHAT TO DO IF YOU TEST POSITIVE:
We have been swamped with emails and calls from members who have tested positive and may not be able to respond as fast as usual, despite working through the holidays. However please continue to let us know of your positive cases by replying to this email.

If you have reason to believe you may have contracted the virus at work (Without notifications from public health about positive passenger exposure a lot of this relies on common sense, and you ARE permitted to file a report even if not contact traced):

• Book off stating injury on duty + Call Medaire if on layover.
• Call Occupational Health to notify of your positive status so that the Company can upload any flight info to epub (see epub > administrative procedures > contacts > medical clinics).
• File a work-related illness/injury report. Be as detailed as possible about how you may have been exposed to the virus while working.
• Follow workers compensation procedures (see below).
  • If WCB is approved you will not incur any lost sick days.
  • If WCB is denied, you will incur up to 7 sick days and then fall on WIP/Insurance.
• WIP will cover you up to the provincially mandated quarantine (usually 10 days) following a positive test.
• Send the completed employee portion of the WIP form (resources tab on accomponent.ca), direct deposit form and PCR results + copy of guidance received with test result regarding mandatory isolation order.
• If you stay booked off longer you will need to consult a doctor and have them fill out the medical portion of the forms.
• If a book-off lasts more than 7 days, you MUST either fall on WIP/Insurance or workers compensation – one or the other. It isn’t optional.
• Workers who test positive must contact Occupational Health Services when returning to work (see epub > administrative procedures > contacts > medical clinics).
• This is important as Occupational Health will ensure that your return to work satisfies both provincial AND federal isolation requirements and discuss protections for you to ensure you aren’t testing positive following recovery since we fly to destinations that have arrival-based testing (so you don’t get stuck).
• Speak to the Local (see below) for guidance on the workers compensation process and return to work steps once you are better depending on your condition.

If you believe you did not contract it at work (ex. You are confident that you were exposed by a friend who was positive or a child):

• Book off + Call Medaire if on layover.
• Call Occupational Health to notify of your positive status so that the Company can upload any flight info to epub (see epub > administrative procedures > contacts > medical clinics).
• WIP will cover you up to the provincially mandated quarantine (usually 10 days) following a positive test.
• Send the completed employee portion of the WIP form (resources tab on accomponent.ca), direct deposit form and PCR results + copy of guidance received with test result regarding mandatory isolation order.
• If you stay booked off longer you will need to consult a doctor and have them fill out the medical portion of the forms.
• Speak to the Local (see below) regarding the return to work steps once you are better depending on your condition.
• Workers who test positive must contact Occupational Health Services when returning to work (see epub > administrative procedures > contacts > medical clinics).
• This is important as Occupational Health will ensure that your return to work satisfies both provincial AND federal isolation requirements, and discuss protections for you to ensure you aren’t testing positive following recovery since we fly to destinations that have arrival-based testing (so you don’t get stuck).
• You will incur up to 7 sick days, then fall on WIP/Insurance. If a book-off lasts more than 7 days, you MUST either fall on WIP/Insurance or workers compensation – one or the other. It isn’t optional.

NOTE:  The Company’s COVID-19 Guidelines policy includes a provision for paid leave if you were ordered to isolate by public health or a health official pending results of a test in certain circumstances. If your case applies, please reach out to the Local for assistance as this may allow you not to lose any sick days up until the date you received your results.

WORKERS COMPENSATION INFORMATION AND SUPPORT:
The Union Local offices support members with workers compensation. We have provided the links to the information required to start the process. Follow-up questions should be addressed to the Local offices below.

PREVIOUS RELEVANT UNION BULLETINS:
All Coronavirus Update bulletins can be accessed HERE
Reporting Bulletin can be accessed HERE
Reporting FAQ bulletin can be accessed HERE

RAPID TESTING:
We are aware that due to provincial governments rolling out rapid testing to the public, there have been shortages. The Company has informed us that a large shipment arrived yesterday and is being distributed across bases. Kits are smaller over the holidays to satisfy demand (5 per kit), and we remind you that they are for workplace use and that it remains important to upload results to the COVID-19 home testing app.

The Union’s follow-up bulletin on rapid testing with instructions can be found HERE.

PROVINCIAL GUIDELINES:
Provincial and territorial guidelines and policies are changing rapidly. We have heard how challenging this has been for our members and have communicated this to the Company. As of today, we are informed that changes to policy are forthcoming to help employees so please ensure to review the most up to date COVID-19 information on ACAeronet under COVID-19 Updates if/when necessary. The Union will also communicate changes to you when we become aware.

The updated list of provincial COVID-19 resource websites and contacts can be accessed HERE.

As your health and safety committee we wish we could provide a happier holiday message, but here we are. Please know that over the holidays we continue to work on your behalf.

In Solidarity,