McNeil: Premier Can Play Role In Getting Both Sides Of Transit Strike Back To The TableDate: Monday February 6, 2012
(Halifax) Liberal leader Stephen McNeil says with Halifax Regional Municipality hobbled by a transit strike, he wants to know what steps Premier Dexter has taken to protect the province's economic engine from the disruption.
"This deadlock is only a few days old, but it has already had a significant impact on hundreds of thousands of people in and around HRM,” says McNeil. "This labour dispute is restricting the mobility of many in the HRM, placing increasing stress on our transportation infrastructure and leaving people stranded or in gridlock - it is harming the economy of our entire province."
The Leader of the Official Opposition believes while the strike itself is a municipal issue, its impacts should be a major concern for the provincial government.
"Half the population of Nova Scotia lives in HRM and are being negatively affected - if that's not a priority for this premier, I don't know what is."
McNeil says Premier Dexter should be reaching out to both sides and offering his government's resources and tools related to mitigating work stoppages.
"Has the premier offered the array of resources available within the Department of Labour to the parties involved in this strike?" asks McNeil. "Are there tools available at the provincial level that would help get these sides back at the bargaining table? Has Premier Dexter himself picked up the phone to get the parties negotiating again?"
The Liberal leader wants to make sure the premier is doing everything in his power to help resolve this labour dispute.
"Nova Scotians are caught in the middle of this strike and many have had their day-to-day lives turned on end because of it," McNeil says. "There will be growing anger with both sides in this strike if both parties don't soon get back to the table - that's where the Premier of Nova Scotia has a responsibility to get involved."
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For further information, contact:
Stephen Moore
(902) 476-6601
mooresk@gov.ns.ca
