Since the COVID-19 pandemic first hit, CUPE 900 member Shawn Danyluk and the other operators at the Rayleigh Waterworks have seen big changes on the job. The new realities of social distancing, PPE and increased cleaning came fast and quick.
At the beginning we had to make do with what we had on hand,” says Danyluk, recounting the early days of the pandemic. “We had a lot of work to do, we just needed to figure out how to do it safely.”
Months later, the Kamloops, BC waterworks now has a comprehensive safety plan put in place by CUPE members. “Every button, every knob, locks, switches, anything we touch has to be cleaned. It took some getting used to, but we are in shape now,” he says.
Despite the challenges his community faces with the pandemic, Danyluk proudly points out that the people who depend on the waterworks have one less thing to worry about. “Our services have had no disruptions whatsoever,” he says.
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This member profile first appeared in The Public Employee, CUPE BC’s magazine.