We live in interesting times.

I met with City Manager Laughlin and DCM Cebryk late Friday afternoon. I had been sending increasingly demanding messages to them through Wednesday to Friday about protecting our members. On Friday, FST Damir Begovic and I met with them to hear that they had, finally, put in place an acceptable program to clean the buses. We have heard, in part though Rep Davis, that they did, in fact, follow through with their promises. Cleaners with back-pack disinfectant are spraying each bus every day. Sanitizing supplies are being made available to Operators on all buses. If these actions are not being met, please call us immediately, we will address it at the highest levels of the administration.

City Manager Laughlin also indicated that, with the closure of the Rec Centres on Saturday, some cleaners in those facilities would be re-deployed to Transit Facilities to help with the cleaning of buses. This is a cross-jurisdictional issue that I, as President, waived in view of the emergent needs. Please accept these other workers into our workplace as the sisters and brothers they are. We all need to pull together to get ourselves past this difficult time. In the event that workers employed by a contractor , specifically, Bee Clean, are deployed, please let us know as soon as possible.

There are several memos out with details of how people will be paid in the event they experience work shortage or isolation/quarantine during this emergency. The Unions are satisfied that the City is treating people fairly, but if you have issues, we want to know about it. Please call us.

In Red Deer, the story is similar. With prompting from Brother Relkov and myself, they have now established some significant cleaning protocols.

The story in St. albert has changed this evening. Diversified Transportation was holding its hand close to its chest and, so far as we knew, nothing had changed about how buses were cleaned by the City of St. Albert. Sister Malayko initiated dialogue with them, and as of about an hour ago, new cleaning processes were put in place. Please monitor these practices and let us know how it can be done better.

If you have any questions or ideas, please let us know at the Union office.

Be safe, be healthy,

In Solidarity,

Steve Bradshaw

President/Business Agent