B.C. teachers urged to get vaccinated

The B.C. Teachers Federation is urging members to get vaccinated as it calls for a government mandate to ensure an equitable policy across the province, where some of the largest employers are requiring staff to be protected against COVID-19.

Vaccine mandates help keep everyone safe—you, your family, your coworkers, and your students. We all need to do everything we can to protect each other. Please get vaccinated. They are safe, effective, and the best way to help stop COVID19. #bced #bcpoli

— BCTF (@bctf) October 8, 2021

Union president Teri Mooring said Friday that it's up to the provincial government to take leadership at a time when cases among schoolchildren are climbing instead of relying on 60 school districts to come up with their own vaccine mandates.

Mooring noted overall vaccination rates are lower in some parts of the province, like the Peace region in the north, so trustees there may face "a high level of pushback" about requiring teachers to be vaccinated as a condition of employment.

"We could have a situation where the parts of the province that need mandates the most would be the least likely to implement them," she said, adding a patchwork approach could affect any unvaccinated teachers working in multiple districts.

Premier John Horgan said Thursday that it's up to elected trustees to decide on vaccine mandates instead of having them enforced by the province and that school districts are the employers for school staff.

However, Mooring said a legislative solution or a public health order is needed to protect schoolchildren who aren't eligible to be vaccinated.

That group makes up half the unvaccinated residents in B.C., according to a report this week by an independent group analyzing pandemic data in the province, where cases among five-to-11-year-olds are rising sharply in three of six health authorities.

The teachers union sent its 45,000 members a letter Thursday night saying its leadership is planning to meet with the BC Public School Employers' Association and the Education Ministry to ensure that a provincial vaccine mandate would include a process to accommodate teachers and protect their rights through grievances if necessary.

Mooring also said teachers should get vaccinated because the union may not be able to help them unless they have a legitimate exemption, should the province require them to be vaccinated.

"You need to go ahead and do it," Mooring said in an interview Friday. "There are consequences that could impact member pay, member pensions, member benefits."

TransLink, Metro Vancouver's transportation network, and the Insurance Corporation of B.C. announced Friday that their workers must be fully vaccinated by November.

A statement from ICBC says its directive applies to all employees and contractors. TransLink said its policy affects 8,300 workers employed by TransLink, Coast Mountain Bus Company, BC Rapid Transit Company and Transit Police.

TransLink chief executive Kevin Quinn said in a written statement that the decision is important as more people return to using transit.

A statement from ICBC says the provincial auto insurer believes having a mandatory vaccination program is an extra safety measure and the right thing to do.