FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE April 23, 2004
Liberals contract out highway line painting: same Tory policies continue
The Liberal government is continuing the discredited Tory practice of contracting out highway line painting and area maintenance, despite serious cost and quality concerns.
Private companies will take over line painting on highways in the Owen Sound area, London area (Mitchell), and Eastern Ontario (Kingston/Kanata). Area highway maintenance will be divested in Northern Ontario (the Armstrong/Marathon area). Some of these contracts, which begin May 1, 2004, are for as long as nine years.
“The Liberals are simply continuing the disastrous and costly Tory policies in the Ministry of Transportation,” said OPSEU President Leah Casselman.
“What happened to their promises to do things differently, to listen to public servants, to listen to the Provincial Auditor, and stop this costly contracting out?” asked Casselman.
In areas where the work has already been contracted out, line standards have been violated and costs have increased. In one recent job near Peterborough, work public servants could have done for just $10,000 cost $84,000 under a private contract.
Several area maintenance contracts in Eastern Ontario have cost $500,000 - $750,000 per year more than the cost of public servants doing the same work.
At least 25 employees, mostly employees with many years seniority, will be laid off in this round of divestments. The Ministry will be liable for severance costs where applicable.
“Contracting out road work is terrible for drivers and for taxpayers,” said Casselman. “The Liberals must scrap these costly Tory policies now.”
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For further information:
David Cox, OPSEU Communications, 1-800-268-7376 x 314
