The province’s largest union says a botched job by outside contractors at the new emergency wing of the Health Sciences has to be ripped up by public sector trades workers – another example it says of why work should be done in-house where possible.

NAPE says the provincial government is not recognizing trades workers such as electricians for the essential and sometimes dangerous work that they do.

NAPE President Jerry Earle says the sector is “underpaid, understaffed, and undermined” by years of work being contracted out to the private sector including on projects such as construction of the new emergency room facility, which opened only a couple of weeks ago.

He says internal plumbers at the site will have to go back and do a significant tear-up at the site.

VOCM News has contacted NLHS for comment.