"There is a very real need to ensure a full contingent of highway workers to deal with the maintenance of our highways. Now is the time to develop the necessary infrastructure, not leave it until the next disaster." - Carol Furlong, NAPE president.
St. John's (6 April 2011) - The Newfoundland and Labrador Association of Public and Private Employees (NAPE/NUPGE), the union representing highway workers, is calling on the Minister of Transportation and Works to make safety on our province's highways a priority by keeping depots open and highway workers on the job this summer.
According to NAPE President Carol Furlong, the aftermath of hurricane Igor caused considerable damage which continues to require ongoing maintenance and repairs. "That can't be done if the depots are closed and highway workers laid off," said Furlong.
"After Igor there was a tremendous effort to get work done quickly which resulted in some work being done in piece-meal fashion. The government now needs to dedicate resources to addressing the temporary maintenance," Furlong stated.
"This is work that cannot be put off. Frankly, we believe that the temporary closure of the highway depots resulted in necessary work on our highways being neglected and that is why damage from Igor was so severe."
"In recent years, the government has spent millions of dollars on upgrading infrastructure, only to see it destroyed because of a lack of proper maintenance. The work is not being done because of a lack of highway personnel in summer. There is a very real need to ensure a full contingent of highway workers to deal with the maintenance of our highways."
Furlong concludes, "The government recently announced it will have a substantial surplus on budget day. It is not a question of money but rather a question of priority. It has been proven in the past that our roads, bridges and drainage system were not adequate to deal with the runoff from severe storms. Now is the time to develop the necessary infrastructure, not leave it until the next disaster."
NUPGE
The National Union of Public and General Employees (NUPGE) is one of Canada's largest labour organizations with over 340,000 members. Our mission is to improve the lives of working families and to build a stronger Canada by ensuring our common wealth is used for the common good. NUPGE
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