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Winter maintenance workers should not be laid April 4, 2007
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Eddie Joyce, Opposition Transportation and Works Critic and MHA for the District of Bay of Islands, says seasonal winter crews with the Department of Transportation and Works responsible for snow and ice removal have received layoff notices, even though an internal government memo recommends against this action due to dangerous driving conditions such as black ice. An internal government memo to the executive of the Department of Transportation and Works states, AHow do you wish to finish the winter season? Do you want us to layoff our seasonal winter staff the middle of April as in the past, or keep them on the additional two weeks to the end of April and lay them off when we end our winter season and close our winter units? It is cleaner from a bumping perspective to wait to the end of April and we do get black ice conditions the last two weeks in April as we do the first two weeks in November.@ Since this memo was sent on March 22nd, seasonal winter staff have received their layoff notices stating they will be terminated effective the middle of April. AIt is very unfortunate that government is ignoring its own advice to keep winter maintenance workers on the province=s highways during April,@ said Mr. Joyce. AIt is clearly stated in the memo that black ice conditions are prevalent in this province until May, yet government is once again putting dollar signs ahead of the safety of people traveling the province=s highways. We have witnessed accidents in the past that have been the result of black ice, and this decision will do nothing to ensure dangerous driving conditions are addressed in the appropriate manner. This is completely contrary to what the minister has stated in the past, that he follows the direction of front-line staff who understand road conditions. AFor the sake of an extra two weeks, I am calling on Minister Hickey to accept the advice of his officials and keep staff and equipment on the highways. Weather conditions in this province are very unpredictable, and for the safety of all Newfoundlanders and Labradorians this minimal investment should be made to protect motorists.@
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