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(Sydney) The union representing Cross Walk Guards with Cape Breton Regional Municipality says the employer is discriminating against its part-time employees by preventing them from holding more than one job.

CUPE National Representative Jacquie Bramwell says CBRM has implemented a new policy which states that CUPE members who work for the municipality can only hold one part-time position. A crossing guard, for instance, who is working 20 hours a week and wants to pick up a second job as a cleaner for 20 hours a week is prohibited from doing so.

Says Bramwell, This flies in the face of whats happening out in the work world nowadays. It is well known that most new jobs in Cape Breton are part-time or casual jobs. So not only can these workers not find full-time jobs, theyre being told by CBRM they cant have more than one part-time job to make ends meet.

We just had one of our cleaners apply for a cross walk guard job and was told shed have to pick one or the other. This is the height of ridiculousness, says Bramwell.

With municipal elections coming in about a weeks time, I also think its incumbent on mayoral candidates and council candidates to tell voters where they stand on this important issue, adds Bramwell.

CUPE says it is looking into a possible human rights violation in this case.

The crossing guards are represented by CUPE Local 761, while cleaners are part of CUPE Local 759 CBRM outside workers.

For information:
Jacquie Bramwell, National Representative - (902) 539-4933 (o)
Pat Roach, President, CUPE 761 - (902) 862-9243
John McCracken, CUPE Communications Rep. - (902) 455-4180 (o)