Warning message

Please note that this page is from our archives. There may be more up-to-date content about this topic on our website. Use our search engine to find out.


HALIFAX – The Nova Scotia Highway Workers’ Union is welcoming the provincial government’s initiative to bring some of the province’s asphalt and chip seal work in house.

CUPE Local 1867 president Gareth Drinnan says, “Our union has been telling previous governments for years that our members can do quality work at a reasonable cost. We are glad to see the current government is interested in thinking outside of the box a little, especially if it will mean cost savings for taxpayers.

Nova Scotia highway workers and the Department of Transportation are more than capable of getting this work done and saving money in the process. In fact, we have slowly been bringing many aspects of our work back in house with good success,” says Drinnan.
  
CUPE Nova Scotia president Danny Cavanagh, meanwhile, says, “We are a little disappointed, but not surprised, at the reaction from the Road Builders Association who don’t seem to be too interested in saving taxpayers money.”

Twenty years ago the province had its own asphalt plant, which produced a world class product.  Previous governments chose to contract out that work and Nova Scotians should be asking themselves if the quality of our roads has gotten any better since that happened,” says Cavanagh.

 
For more information, please contact:

Gareth Drinnan   
President, Local 1867    
(902) 499-5794 (cell)  

Danny Cavanagh  
CUPE NS President
(902) 957-0822 (Cell)

John McCracken
CUPE Communications Representative
(902) 455-4180