HAPPY VALLEY-GOOSE BAY – The president of the union representing locked out municipal workers with the Town of Happy Valley-Goose Bay, Labrador says they’ve been overwhelmed with the support they are receiving from the community.
CUPE Local 2019 says, “People in this community have really rallied around us. The amount of food and coffee we’ve received in the first two days has been incredible. By the end of yesterday (January 14), we had so much left over we had to take it some local charities.
“The list of donations we’ve received is just too long to mention, wood for our burn barrels and other items, but we will be publishing it on Facebook. The members are feeling well supported by this community,” says Pittman.
Pittman says, “Regarding the lock out itself, people are telling us they don’t understand why the mayor and council have taken the position they have on the pension plan, and why they would want to undo something that has taken us decades to build up.”
“In 2008 when the North American economy almost collapsed, people who were in DC pension plans - the kind the Town is trying to push on us - lost up to 40% of their savings. That is not a real pension plan because it’s not secure in any way,” he says.