Thursday, August 19, 2021
AMAPCEO, the union representing more than 14,000 professionals in the Ontario Public Service (OPS), is advocating for more vaccination and regular, mandatory COVID-19 testing of government staff when more return to workplaces next month. Those who voluntarily provide proof of full vaccination would be exempt from testing.
The union is pushing for this change to be part of the OPS Employer’s Graduated Return to the OPS Workplace (GROW) plan.
President Dave Bulmer has reached out to the government and the OPS Employer to offer AMAPCEO’s assistance in developing this policy and how the procedures would work.
“There's been a lot of discussion around mandatory vaccination at the federal level and in some sectors here in Ontario,” Bulmer said. “We want to work constructively with the OPS Employer to make sure they get this right and ensure the protection of our members’ health, safety, and privacy.”
The OPS Employer’s Graduated Return to the OPS Workplace (GROW) will see AMAPCEO members currently working remotely gradually returning to the workplace on a part-time basis. In the meantime, AMAPCEO leadership and activists continue to review Ministry- and location-specific reopening plans to ensure the OPS Employer is doing all it can to keep members safe.
Bulmer sees the union’s advocacy for more vaccination and regular, mandatory testing as just another means of keeping COVID-19 out of Ontario’s workplaces.
“It’s important we do whatever we can to protect our co-workers and our loved ones,” Bulmer said. “That includes testing and boosting vaccination rates even higher.”
“I’m relieved I got my shots, and I know the overwhelming majority of our members are glad they did too,” he said.