CUPE has criticized the provincial government for failing to include two categories of employees – flight attendants and bus drivers – on its list of essential employees entitled to emergency child care services.
“Flight attendants and bus drivers are providing an essential service during these difficult times. The drivers must ensure the safe transportation of people during this crisis, and flight attendants are being called upon to bring back home numerous Canadians across the world. The fact that air transportation is under federal jurisdiction must not be an obstacle. Our members are in Quebec and serve Quebeckers. The distress our members are experiencing is an urgent matter, and Mr. Legault must come to their assistance today,” demanded Marc Ranger, Director of CUPE-Quebec.
Yesterday, the government expanded the list of new employment categories to ensure supplies of medication, garbage collection and a host of other services.
“We are reaching out to the government to get them to change course and include bus drivers and flight attendants on that list. Our members in these two categories are working under very difficult if not hazardous conditions. We fear that they will not be able to perform their duties if we don’t come to their assistance. If that were to happen, all of us would come out on the short end,” said the President of CUPE-Quebec Benoît Bouchard.