Message from Craig Bromell, President of The Building Union of Canada

Date: Tuesday, March 24, 2020
From: Craig Bromell, President of The Building Union of Canada (BUC)

Dear Members,
On March 23, 2020 the Ontario Provincial Government posted their list of Essential Services and Workplaces. Below is the list of construction projects and services that the Province has declared as essential:

1. Construction projects and services associated with the healthcare sector, including new facilities, expansions, renovations and conversion of spaces that could be repurposed for
   health care space;
2. Construction projects and services required to ensure safe and reliable operations of critical provincial infrastructure, including transit, transportation, energy and justice
   sectors beyond the day-to-day maintenance;
3. Construction work and services, including demolition services, in the industrial,commercial, institutional and residential sectors;
4. Construction work and services that supports health and safety environmental rehabilitation projects.

To be clear, although the Ontario Government claims these projects and services are essential, your health and safety and the health and safety of your families are still the greatest priority. Therefore, if you are being asked or required to work in conditions which you think may be unsafe, because of COVID – 19 or for any other reason, we are urging you to:

• stop work;
• get yourself to a safe place;
• tell your immediate supervisor that you have stopped work for safety reasons as per
• OHSA;
• Phone your Union Representative right away.

I want to make this clear, if it’s proven any of our Members test positive for the COVID – 19 virus because you are forced to work in unsafe conditions we will hold any person, Employer and government responsible.

This situation comes down to common sense. If you don’t feel safe in regard to this virus, like you would on any other Health and Safety issue on a construction site, stop work, leave the site and the Building Union of Canada (BUC) will support you.

YOUR HEALTH AND SAFETY IS ALWAYS FIRST!

Fraternally Yours,
Craig Bromell
President, The Building Union of Canada (BUC)