Thursday, August 15, 2019

Equipping Your H&S Reps

As a union, we rely heavily on the elected officials in the workplaces we represent. Most people know who their steward is, and know that CLAC works hard to support and equip those stewards.

Most also know that CLAC offers steward certification training through its Steward Toolbox program, holds biannual provincial conferences, and provides direct and regular access to CLAC representatives and staff to support the stewards they’ve elected. We’re working hard to provide stewards with the tools and support they need so that members are well-represented by their union.

But over the last few months, we’ve begun asking ourselves whether the same can be said for the workplace health and safety (H&S) representatives and workplace joint health and safety committee (JHSC) members.

H&S reps have a very important part to play in workplace representation and play a key role in worker advocacy. The selection, training, and requirements of worker H&S reps and JHSC members prescribed by the Occupational Health and Safety Act or “the Green Book.” In a recent meeting with the Public Services Health and Safety Association, it was reinforced for us that elected H&S worker representatives have a much bigger impact on the safety and the safe work behaviour of peers and coworkers than even the employer.

In June, H&S reps in CLAC workplaces were invited to participate in a survey designed to ask tough but meaningful questions about how supported they felt by their union. We also asked if they felt they had the right training and tools to perform the essential parts of their role well.

Overall, we were encouraged to learn that more than 80 percent of H&S reps who responded do in fact feel supported in their role by CLAC. We also learned that 84 percent believe they receive the time to complete their H&S responsibilities and that their employer implements their (or the JHSC) recommendations.

However, we also learned that

the union should play a more active role in the selection/election of H&S representatives;
the JHSC would benefit from more training than the basic JH&S certification and that only 24 percent have completed any form of additional training;
sixteen percent of respondents don’t feel they know how to adequately complete a workplace inspection;
seven percent don’t feel they know how to respond to an accident in the workplace.

In the coming months, CLAC plans to respond to these survey results and to increase our regular interaction and communication with H&S reps. CLAC Training has added or will be adding several new courses to the course calendar that are directed at H&S reps and JHSC members. As well, CLAC has committed more than $100,000 in 2019 to deliver Mental Health First Aid (MHFA) training, and priority seating is being offered to H&S representatives.

If you or someone you know is interested in learning more about becoming an H&S rep in your workplace, please speak to your CLAC steward or representative.

Equipping Your H&S Reps

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