|
|||||
| Return to 2006 News Releases | |||||
|
|
News
Release |
||||
|
Reid questions government's flip-flop on FPI September 12, 2006 |
|||||
|
Opposition Leader Gerry Reid is questioning why Premier Danny Williams has
cowered and now supports Fishery Products International’s (FPI) demands that
its employees in their Marystown plant take a wage rollback. Over the past
few months, Fisheries Minister Tom Rideout said he would declare war on the
company if they continued with this approach, but it now appears the premier
and minister are not on the same page. "I was absolutely amazed to hear the comments from the premier encouraging FPI workers to accept a wage rollback," said Mr. Reid. "The premier always puts up a facade that he is fighting for the fishery in this province, however, his actions tell a different story. Encouraging employees to accept a reduction in wages is a business approach that has been indicative of the little importance the premier places on workers making a living from the fishery. The business approach dictates that a company make as much money as possible, while paying its employees the lowest wages possible. "This is another in a long line of contradictions between the premier and his ministers. If Minister Rideout’s comments were reflective of government policy, why are they being contradicted by the premier? Where do local MHAs with FPI plants in their districts such as Clyde Jackman, Ray Hunter, Roger Fitzgerald and Wally Young stand on this issue? Unfortunately, the employees at FPI now feel abandoned and believe the company has been given the green light to strip their contract by government. "Everyone in the province knows the premier has very little knowledge about the fishery in Newfoundland and Labrador. He tried to cover this up by holding a summit in the spring, and by keeping a tally of 25 meetings that have taken place since. We have seen absolutely nothing that comes close to a tangible result, and the premier can rant and rave all he wants to the contrary. His government has done absolutely nothing to improve the fishery in this province, and if anything, has sat back and allowed it to disintegrate. "While I fully expect the premier to attack me personally for making these comments, he should be attacking the issue. Instead of encouraging employees to accept wage rollbacks, government should be at the table facilitating a resolution on these and other issues. Unfortunately, the business approach is once again siding with John Risley and FPI, instead of the workers living in communities such as Marystown."
|
|||||
|
Media Contact: |
|||||
