Sometimes the logic of who gets their shot, and when, evades me (Why brewery workers before front-line workers?), but kudos need to be sent to all who are trying to tame this beast.
It’s also been encouraging to read news reports and hear stories of employers paying for their employees to take time to get their shots or advocating for their employees to be moved up the line. Surrey school board trustees did just that, much to the delight of their employees. It feels good to know that your safety is a priority to your employer.
So when at their special board meeting on April 26, SD48 school board trustee Celeste Bickford made a motion that the board write a letter to Vancouver Coastal Health advocating for the remaining teachers, custodians, EAs, bus drivers, maintenance crew, and administrators who have not been eligible for a vaccine to be prioritized given that Sea to Sky is a “hot spot,” it seemed a no-brainer. Of course they would advocate. That’s their mandate. That’s what they’ve been elected to do.
Or not. The motion was defeated by trustees Rick Price, Rebecca Barley, David Walden and Rachael Lythe. Only trustees Cynthia Higgins and Bickford spoke in support of a motion to write a letter advocating for the employees in the district.
Election time is 18 months away, and I certainly hope that if any of these five trustees are running again, the Sea to Sky Teachers Association and CUPE remind the public of this defeated motion.
The employees deserve much better.
Anyone curious can watch the video of the meeting on YouTube. The discussion of the motion begins around the 37-minute mark.
Paul Demers
Squamish
