Following the decision by B.C. health officials to ban public gatherings of more than 250 people to slow the transmission of COVID-19, CUPE BC’s Executive Board met by conference call over the weekend and unanimously voted to cancel its upcoming annual convention, scheduled for April 22-25 in Vancouver.
“Our members are on the front lines of delivering important public services in nearly every community in the province, and our first priority is obviously their safety and well-being,” said CUPE BC President Paul Faoro. “The evidence is clear that a large gathering like a convention potentially puts people at risk.”
The Executive Board also voted to postpone a CUPE BC 2-day conference scheduled for June in Nanaimo. CUPE BC will continue to monitor developments and provide updates to Locals as required.
In the meantime, Faoro urged CUPE members to be alert for updates and information on COVID-19 from B.C.’s Provincial Health Officer and the B.C. Centre for Disease Control at www.bccdc.ca.