Next week our union is beginning a campaign aimed at protecting the jobs of the experienced workers who keep our highways safe.

You might hear the radio ad we are running in targeted parts of the province. The public will be asked to sign a petition calling on Premier Clark to keep our highways safe by ensuring that experienced, professional, highways workers are retained if highways maintenance contracts change hands. 

We are beginning this campaign because the maintenance contract for Service Area 11 (East Kootenays) has been put out to tender without any requirement for retention of existing employees. The remaining maintenance contracts will go out for tender in the next few years. It is unclear if they will have any successorship rights included in those contract areas.

This campaign is an opportunity for all of us to work to ensure that all future tenders include the retention of professional, experienced workers and trades people in highway maintenance through successorship. Take this opportunity to sign the petition (visit: www.safehighways.ca) and make sure to ask your friends and family for their support.  This affects all of us driving on the roads everyday.

We will continue to meet with our members over the next year and discuss our next steps to protect our members’ jobs and defend the safety and interest of the travelling public.

If you have any questions about the campaign, speak with your BCGEU Component 10 Local Chair or contact me.

Rory Smith
Vice President BCGEU Operational Services – Component 10

Download PDF of notice here.

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