There’s a call today for the province to lift an exemption which allows construction workers to arrive in the province and begin working without self-isolating for 14 days.

Trades NL cannot understand why government would grant construction workers who are on public projects such an exemption. John Leonard, the president of Trades NL, says skilled trades workers from this province, like everyone else, have obeyed the orders even though it has left thousands of them unemployed.

The union has developed a “Newfoundland and Labrador Benefits Agreement” which sets out hiring provisions for public projects. The skilled trade workforce in this province would get first crack at such projects, a situation which Leonard says exists in many other provinces.

Meanwhile, the Minister of Health, Dr. John Haggie, says the exemption to the orders are laid out clearly on the government’s website.

He says when these individuals are exempted for work purposes are not working, they must adhere to self-isolation. The exemption is permitted only if they’re traveling to and from their workplaces and while they’re at work.