ATLANTIC

Health unions in P.E.I. grieve mandatory masks for staff declining flu shot

THE CANADIAN PRESS

Published Friday, November 15, 2019 3:04PM AST

A nurse working for Vancouver Island Vaccine loads a syringe with flu vaccine for injection at the Victoria Clipper Terminal in Victoria Saturday Oct. 23, 2004. A British Columbia arbitrator has upheld a provincial government policy requiring health-care workers in the province to get a flu shot or wear a mask while caring for patients during flu season. (THE CANADIAN PRESS/Chuck Stoody)

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CHARLOTTETOWN -- A grievance by unions representing health workers in Prince Edward Island over the requirement they wear masks to prevent the spread of flu will go to arbitration.

The requirement instituted in 2018 by Health Prince Edward Island is for employees who decline to take a flu shot and have front-line contact with patients during flu season.

The Union of Public Sector Employees, the Prince Edward Island Nurses Union, the Canadian Union of Public Employees and the International Union of Operating Engineers are involved in the grievance.

A spokeswoman for Health PEI said evidence suggests that the influenza vaccine is the most effective way to protect against getting the flu and spreading it to others.

Carmel Turpin said prior to the policy coming into effect, Health PEI carried out consultations with all union groups, providing them with a copy of the policy and soliciting their feedback.

She said in an email that Health PEI did not receive any concern about the policy from the unions at that time.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 15, 2019.