The union which represents skilled trades is calling on government to plug a loophole in a local preference bidding policy.
Newfoundland and Labrador now allows public entities, including government, to award contracts that fall within a 10 per cent variance—but Trades NL says it won’t work without a local benefits agreement.
Executive director Darin King says the local preference bidding policy also has to include requirements for the successful bidder to hire locally.
(Darin King, file photo.)
King told VOCM Open Line with Paddy Daly that thousands of their members are sitting home as workers from Nova Scotia and Quebec are brought in.
He says at one point in time Newfoundland and Labrador led the country at 14 per cent of project workers being female and now that’s going to be in jeopardy.
The Minister’s announcement does not include local benefits for the workers and King says he does not understand why.
