Government must settle strike on the Burin Peninsula

The strike currently taking place on the Burin Peninsula involving 14 NAPE workers and the 14 disabled clients they assist in their supported employment program can be easily settled by government if they simply remove one demand that would strip the employees’ contract, says Opposition Leader Yvonne Jones. The issue was raised earlier today in the House of Assembly.

The supported employment program involves unionized workers acting as facilitators with disabled individuals as they conduct their daily tasks in the workplace and is a very successful program that is benefiting many people. The workers are subject to Public Sector Bargaining Act and have already agreed to government’s monetary template, but are striking to stop Treasury Board’s attempt to renege their commitment on the Provincial Government Classification System. Ironically, government insisted that they be included in this classification system as part of their last collective agreement signed in 2007.

These 14 workers are committed to their clients and have been trying to avoid a strike for several months,” said Ms. Jones. “Government has refused to move away from their demand to remove these employees from the provincial classification system and that remains the outstanding issue. Instead of causing such a disruption to the lives of so many people, why won’t government simply back away from their concessionary demands and settle this contract for the 14 employees involved.”

Jones says the people caught in the middle of this strike are the disabled clients who can no longer work without their facilitators. Many of these people are now at home, falling out of their daily routine, unsure of why it is happening and when they may be able to return to their jobs.