MONTREAL – A road traffic control worker was killed on the job this morning in Saint-Jérôme. United Steelworkers/Syndicat des Métallos Local 9005, which represents road traffic control workers across Quebec, offers its condolences to the family and colleagues of the deceased worker, a 66-year-old woman.
Today’s fatality is the 24th workplace death of a road traffic control worker in Quebec since 2008 (the 25th such fatality in the death of a construction worker in similar circumstances is included in the grim statistics).
“In the last 12 months, we’ve buried 4 colleagues! This is unacceptable,” said USW Local 9005 President Nathalie Perron.
“Meanwhile, the government continues to ignore our requests for a meeting. No response has been given to our demands for more work site inspections, improved training and closer monitoring of road traffic control companies,” Perron said.
In February of this year, road traffic control workers demonstrated outside the Quebec City offices of Transport Minister Geneviève Guilbeault, calling for greater regulation of the road traffic control sector and improved health and safety provisions for workers.
“No workplace death is acceptable. But when fatalities proliferate to the degree we have seen, with total indifference from government, it’s a sign of the government’s insensitivity and negligence,” said Michel Courcy, assistant to the USW’s Quebec director.
“We have been proposing solutions to improve the situation, yet the minister refuses to even meet with us to listen. This is unacceptable,” Courcy said.
Share on Facebook Share on Twitter
MONTREAL – The Syndicat des Métallos/United Steelworkers union (USW) welcomes new provincial legislation that will help secure the future of Quebec’s copper industry. The passage of Bill 11 by the Quebec government paves the way for investments at the Horne copper smelter in Rouyn-Noranda, with resource giant Glencore announcing it will now move forward with […]
For United Steelworkers Local 5795, supporting members means supporting the communities they call home. This summer, the local is demonstrating that commitment by ensuring Labrador City’s annual Family Day celebration, taking place on August 22, continues, providing families with an opportunity to come together, create memories and celebrate their community. After cuts were made to […]
OTTAWA – The United Steelworkers union (USW) is welcoming legislation introduced today by NDP Parliamentary Leader Don Davies to close a loophole in federal anti-scab legislation that allows employers to use outside managers as replacement workers during labour disputes. USW National Director Marty Warren and USW Local 1944 President Michael Phillips joined Davies in Ottawa […]