As borders and businesses close up, one of BC’s largest unions is wondering how some of their members will fare.

The BC Government Employees Union (BCGEU) has 72,000 members working in everything from healthcare and education to highways and casinos, and President Stephanie Smith says each employer has a different deal with its workers.

“It really varies on what provisions have been negotiated in their collective agreements, whether they’re casual, whether they’re part time-precarious,” she said. “We’ve all heard from so many people ‘we’re one paycheque away from not paying our rent.'”

Smith said she’s thankful that many companies are stepping up and going to bat for their employees during these trying times.

“I’m a renter myself in the Lower Mainland. It’s incredibly challenging and I’m really concerned about the impacts that this is going to have, not just to BCGEU members but workers everywhere,” Smith said.

Smith says it is not the time for companies to be punitive to workers that are making the right health choices.