While MHA’s were sitting in the House last evening discussing issues of this province that are of concern to workers some of those very workers were threatened with arrest while on the picket line in Donovans. Members of the NDP Caucus went to the picket line last night as the scene unfolded.
“This action was totally unnecessary for a legal and peaceful picket line and puts the rights of workers of this province in jeopardy,” NDP Leader Alison Coffin said this morning. “Only yesterday in the House we acknowledged human rights and the importance of advocacy and protests to advance those human rights.”
Dominion workers have been on strike since August 22nd for a fair and living wage. Across the province they have been dealing with reductions in available full time positions at Loblaw locations, and their employer clawed back a salary top up of $2/hr given to employees for the essential role they were deemed to play in our society.
“This was an unnecessary use of police resources, and I question how our enforcement agencies were able to mobilize the upwards of 30 riot officers at midnight yesterday evening, especially when we are being asked to increase enforcement budgets” Coffin said today. “This was an excessive use of force to ensure the timely delivery of bread across the city, my office is reaching out to Constable Boland, and representatives from Unifor to get more information on why this took place last night”
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For further information, contact Eddy St. Coeur, Director of Communications, NDP Caucus at 729-2137 (o), 693-9172 (c), or EddyStCoeur@gov.nl.ca