The Manitoba Federation of Labour (MFL) is
worried that a new law to protect road workers will not get passed in time
for the new safety rules to be in place for the spring construction season.
Their concerns stem from the fact that the
Manitoba Progressive Conservatives caucus has been blocking the road worker
safety bill from being debated in the Manitoba legislature. If the bill does
not move to debate by Monday, December 2, it will not be passed before the
legislature rises for the Christmas break.
MFL Executive Vice President Wendy Sol
wrote a letter to PC Leader Brian Pallister, urging him to allow
the bill to get debated in the legislature: "I am writing to request that
you and your caucus allow the road worker safety bill to proceed to debate
stage in the legislature. If you have concerns with the bill, I encourage you
to use the legislative debates to express them. The safety of Manitoba road
workers is at stake."
The road worker safety bill was developed
in response to calls from both the MFL and employers for improved speed limit
signage in construction zones. The bill would require clear signage of reduced
construction speed limits, to ensure that drivers know exactly when reduced
limits are in effect, what they are, and when they end.
An MFL representative and MGEU President
Michelle Gawronsky will present on the road worker safety law if it is allowed
to proceed to legislative public hearings next week.
The MGEU has been a
participant in the Safe Roads Committee (along with organizations like MPI,
Workers Compensation, and the Manitoba Heavy Construction Association) that has
advocated for changes like those contained in Bill 2.
Read more about the proposed law HERE.