Yellow Fever
November 15th, 2008, 06:17 AM
Mandatory Olympic holidays 'over the top'
By Jeff Nagel - BC Local News
Published: November 14, 2008 11:00 AM
Updated: November 14, 2008 11:45 AM
Businesses are being urged to force employees to take vacations during the 2010 Olympics and even shut down where possible to reduce road traffic for the two weeks of the Games.
Those are among the ideas VANOC CEO John Furlong presented Thursday as a top-10 list of things business operators can do to help cut congestion and make the Olympics a success.
"Encourage or even mandate vacations at Games time to help make it possible for employees to fully enjoy the Games and reduce traffic," Furlong's list said. "Consider if it's feasible for your business to close entirely to celebrate the Games."
B.C. Federation of Labour president Jim Sinclair said it's unreasonable to expect masses of workers to burn up much or all of their 2010 vacation time in February.
"To suggest mandatory holidays is way over the top," Sinclair said. "Workers have a right to decide when to take their holidays. He's not thinking of people's lives. He's thinking of the party we're having."
He said tourism across B.C. could also suffer in the summer of 2010 if many people vacation in February instead.
NDP transportation critic Maurine Karagianis called the idea an infringement on people's rights and a scenario that would leave many businesses ill-positioned to take advantage of the benefits the Games are supposed to bring.
"You can't suddenly expect that a significant chunk of the population is suddenly going to down tools and not go to work for two weeks," she said.
She said VANOC is resorting to "desperate moves" because Victoria has failed to adequately plan for Olympic transportation.
"The government has slow-walked everything but the Canada Line," she said, adding aggressive transit expansion is needed.
Karagianis is calling for the release of the still-secret Olympic transporatation plan.
In particular, she wants any corridors that will be restricted for Olympic traffic only to be made public.
She said Olympic-priority lanes, made possible by provincial legislation passed last spring, could mean heavy congestion in the unrestricted lanes.
TransLink spokesman Ken Hardie said TransLink's Olympic plan is still being adjusted but is likely to be released early in 2009.
He said there are currently no plans to import or lease buses from other jurisdictions to add service during the Games, but did not rule the possibility out.
Traffic issues will be most acute in downtown Vancouver, Hardie said, adding TransLink endorses Furlong's suggestions.
"We think it's a good idea," he said.
TransLink's website also offers Olympic transportation advice for businesses, workers, residents and visitors during the games (www.translink.bc.ca/Transportation_Services/TheWay_to_2010).
It suggests businesses consider:
Employee vacations or unpaid leave at Games time.
Compressed work weeks.
Shifted business hours so employees can travel at off-peak times.
Travel by ride-sharing, walking or cycling.
Working from home.
This past summer's power blackout in downtown offered something of a "dry run" for the Olympics, Hardie said, because businesses reacted by staggering hours or sending employees to work from alternate locations.
"The same kinds of things could actually work to lower background traffic through the area during the Olympics," he said.
While office and industrial-based businesses may be able to shut down or scale back during the Games, retailers say they won't.
"We don't expect any of our members are going to be in a position to do that," said Max Logan, vice-president of the Retail Council of Canada.
Shops and stores will, if anything, be extending hours, he said, adding some may stay open around the clock downtown.
"They're counting on the fact we're going to have a lot of visitors."
School districts have also been urged to close schools for the two weeks of the games, another move that would reduce traffic.
The biggest school districts Vancouver, Surrey and Burnaby have yet to decide that issue.
OLYMPIC TOP 10 LIST FOR BUSINESS
1. Leadership Appoint a company Games Champion; a person or team of people to generate ideas, stay informed on Games news, liaise with VANOC and its partners and coordinate all company activities and initiatives.
2. Heroes Thousands of local citizens have volunteered to work at the Games they are and will be the heart and soul of the Games. Generously support them by giving them the necessary time off to volunteer, particularly in the Sea to Sky corridor where more volunteers and accommodations for them are needed.
3. More heroes A uniquely talented temporary workforce is required at Games time. By generously lending paid staff to VANOC, give your people a remarkable working experience and help the Games achieve great success.
4. The work day Consider shifting your daily hours of business during the Games, thereby reducing traffic in and out of the city as it fills up with guests and helping to make the city and region even more liveable, welcoming and fun.
5. Time off Encourage or even mandate vacations at Games time to help make it possible for employees to fully enjoy the Games and reduce traffic. Consider if its feasible for your business to close entirely to celebrate the Games.
6. Fewer cars Embrace the concept of a coordinated reduction in company related vehicle traffic every day of the Games by encouraging the use of public transit, carpooling, walking and early morning truck deliveries.
7. Work from home Consider offering a work-at-home program during the Games to help significantly reduce traffic on the roads.
8. Embrace the spirit Learn as much as you can about the Games, the athletes, the teams and especially the Canadian team. Put language skills to good use to welcome and assist visitors. Stage in-house Games celebrations. Adopt a country; be a good host. After all, the world is coming!
9. Support the athletes Support a Canadian athlete or two by contributing to Own the Podium 2010 or by sponsoring a team. Buy tickets to attend the many international winter sport events being staged to get ready for the Games.
10. Spread the joy Fundraise within your organization to help ensure that those with extremely limited financial means will get a chance to experience the Games.
Source: VANOC
By Jeff Nagel - BC Local News
Published: November 14, 2008 11:00 AM
Updated: November 14, 2008 11:45 AM
Businesses are being urged to force employees to take vacations during the 2010 Olympics and even shut down where possible to reduce road traffic for the two weeks of the Games.
Those are among the ideas VANOC CEO John Furlong presented Thursday as a top-10 list of things business operators can do to help cut congestion and make the Olympics a success.
"Encourage or even mandate vacations at Games time to help make it possible for employees to fully enjoy the Games and reduce traffic," Furlong's list said. "Consider if it's feasible for your business to close entirely to celebrate the Games."
B.C. Federation of Labour president Jim Sinclair said it's unreasonable to expect masses of workers to burn up much or all of their 2010 vacation time in February.
"To suggest mandatory holidays is way over the top," Sinclair said. "Workers have a right to decide when to take their holidays. He's not thinking of people's lives. He's thinking of the party we're having."
He said tourism across B.C. could also suffer in the summer of 2010 if many people vacation in February instead.
NDP transportation critic Maurine Karagianis called the idea an infringement on people's rights and a scenario that would leave many businesses ill-positioned to take advantage of the benefits the Games are supposed to bring.
"You can't suddenly expect that a significant chunk of the population is suddenly going to down tools and not go to work for two weeks," she said.
She said VANOC is resorting to "desperate moves" because Victoria has failed to adequately plan for Olympic transportation.
"The government has slow-walked everything but the Canada Line," she said, adding aggressive transit expansion is needed.
Karagianis is calling for the release of the still-secret Olympic transporatation plan.
In particular, she wants any corridors that will be restricted for Olympic traffic only to be made public.
She said Olympic-priority lanes, made possible by provincial legislation passed last spring, could mean heavy congestion in the unrestricted lanes.
TransLink spokesman Ken Hardie said TransLink's Olympic plan is still being adjusted but is likely to be released early in 2009.
He said there are currently no plans to import or lease buses from other jurisdictions to add service during the Games, but did not rule the possibility out.
Traffic issues will be most acute in downtown Vancouver, Hardie said, adding TransLink endorses Furlong's suggestions.
"We think it's a good idea," he said.
TransLink's website also offers Olympic transportation advice for businesses, workers, residents and visitors during the games (www.translink.bc.ca/Transportation_Services/TheWay_to_2010).
It suggests businesses consider:
Employee vacations or unpaid leave at Games time.
Compressed work weeks.
Shifted business hours so employees can travel at off-peak times.
Travel by ride-sharing, walking or cycling.
Working from home.
This past summer's power blackout in downtown offered something of a "dry run" for the Olympics, Hardie said, because businesses reacted by staggering hours or sending employees to work from alternate locations.
"The same kinds of things could actually work to lower background traffic through the area during the Olympics," he said.
While office and industrial-based businesses may be able to shut down or scale back during the Games, retailers say they won't.
"We don't expect any of our members are going to be in a position to do that," said Max Logan, vice-president of the Retail Council of Canada.
Shops and stores will, if anything, be extending hours, he said, adding some may stay open around the clock downtown.
"They're counting on the fact we're going to have a lot of visitors."
School districts have also been urged to close schools for the two weeks of the games, another move that would reduce traffic.
The biggest school districts Vancouver, Surrey and Burnaby have yet to decide that issue.
OLYMPIC TOP 10 LIST FOR BUSINESS
1. Leadership Appoint a company Games Champion; a person or team of people to generate ideas, stay informed on Games news, liaise with VANOC and its partners and coordinate all company activities and initiatives.
2. Heroes Thousands of local citizens have volunteered to work at the Games they are and will be the heart and soul of the Games. Generously support them by giving them the necessary time off to volunteer, particularly in the Sea to Sky corridor where more volunteers and accommodations for them are needed.
3. More heroes A uniquely talented temporary workforce is required at Games time. By generously lending paid staff to VANOC, give your people a remarkable working experience and help the Games achieve great success.
4. The work day Consider shifting your daily hours of business during the Games, thereby reducing traffic in and out of the city as it fills up with guests and helping to make the city and region even more liveable, welcoming and fun.
5. Time off Encourage or even mandate vacations at Games time to help make it possible for employees to fully enjoy the Games and reduce traffic. Consider if its feasible for your business to close entirely to celebrate the Games.
6. Fewer cars Embrace the concept of a coordinated reduction in company related vehicle traffic every day of the Games by encouraging the use of public transit, carpooling, walking and early morning truck deliveries.
7. Work from home Consider offering a work-at-home program during the Games to help significantly reduce traffic on the roads.
8. Embrace the spirit Learn as much as you can about the Games, the athletes, the teams and especially the Canadian team. Put language skills to good use to welcome and assist visitors. Stage in-house Games celebrations. Adopt a country; be a good host. After all, the world is coming!
9. Support the athletes Support a Canadian athlete or two by contributing to Own the Podium 2010 or by sponsoring a team. Buy tickets to attend the many international winter sport events being staged to get ready for the Games.
10. Spread the joy Fundraise within your organization to help ensure that those with extremely limited financial means will get a chance to experience the Games.
Source: VANOC