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(St. Johns) One day before the most regressive, anti-worker legislation in Canadian history becomes law, new GDP figures just released show that Newfoundland and Labradors economy continues to lead the country.

CUPEs Wayne Lucas says, With our province leading the way again in Gross Domestic Product growth in 2003, the 20,000 public employees who are being forced by legislation to take a two-year wage freeze have every reason to be furious with the premier.

In fact, says Lucas, Our growth rate of 6.5 per cent, which was lead by the oil sector, is three times the national rate. These figures from StatsCan put the hypocrisy of the P.C. agenda to make public sector workers the whipping post in a whole new light.

Danny Williams has sold the people of this province a bill of goods, by basing his attack on workers on the premise that the sky is falling and the economy is in a fragile state. So much for that theory, says Lucas.

Says Lucas, We also learned today that corporate profits jumped 22 per cent in our province last year. Thats in one single year. Well at least we know where all the moneys going.

This is in sharp contrast to the 20,000 hard-working women and men who have just been told theyll get a 5% increase over the next four years. If inflation stays at around 2%, that 5% will actually translate into a 3% cut in wages, says Lucas.

The people of this province have every right to be asking Danny Williams why instead of pounding the crap out of working people, he isnt out there negotiating a better deal from oil revenues, which would clearly be a far more profitable excercise says the CUPE NL. President.

For information:
Wayne Lucas
President, CUPE NL.
727-2509 (Cell)

Dave Reynolds
CUPE National Rep.
753-0732 (o)

John McCracken
CUPE Communications Rep.
(902) 222-8457 (Cell)