On December 6, 2011, a Health and Safety Officer conducted an investigation into a group work refusal by BSOs working at the Emerson Port of Entry, Manitoba.
The BSOs refused to board buses alone and travel down the bus aisles to the rear of the bus to collect declaration cards and verify traveller identification.
Because BSOs have no control of the situation once they are past a few rows of seats, and because the situation does not allow for a proper threat evaluation, and because CBSA has apparently not conducted a hazard assessment of such a situation, and because CBSA does not have any written procedures in place for this situation, the Health and Safety Officer ruled that the activity constitutes a danger.
Consequently, please advise all members who work as BSOs of this ruling.
Moreover, CIU strongly urges all BSOs to avoid from entering buses to collect declaration cards and verify identification and, instead, ask all passengers from disembark from the bus to collect declaration cards and verify identification, or always ensure that at least two (2) BSOs board the bus at the same time.
Please give the email immediate and wide circulation to ensure as many BSOs are made aware of the ruling and of CIU’s above-noted recommendation.
In closing, I wish to thank the members at the Emerson Port of Entry for exercising their rights, and the Health and Safety Officer for seeing the way to making a proper ruling. CIU places great value on the health and safety of its members, welcomes this ruling, and anticipates working with CBSA to ensuring a proper hazard assessment is undertaken and proper procedures are written.
If you have any questions of concerns, please feel free to contact me directly.
In solidarity,
Jason McMichael
First National Vice-President
Occupational Health and Safety Committee Co-Chair
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