Photo: Getty Images Archive For local 791, Bill 51 is “dangerous” because it would allow an untrained carpenter to find himself in control of a mechanical excavator.
A union of heavy equipment operators opposes a bill from Labor Minister Jean Boulet that would allow other workers to find themselves in control of their equipment without adequate training or experience .
Marc Leclerc, the general director of the Union of Heavy Machinery Operators, local 791, said Monday that Mr. Boulet would be taking an irresponsible action by adopting his text legislative in its current form. According to him, this could increase accidents and risks for workers and the population.
“With heavy machinery, it’s very deadly,” he said at a news conference. Indeed, these are serious accidents. »
The union demands that heavy equipment operators be excluded from the list of trades that could be carried out by other workers for whom this is not the main task .
“Heavy machinery is unfortunately, year after year, the source of several serious accidents and deaths at work,” said Mr. Leclerc. We understand that with heavy machinery, the consequences are quickly catastrophic. »
In February, Mr. Boulet tabled Bill 51, which aims to accelerate the pace of construction sites and compensate for the lack of labor artwork. In particular, he proposes increasing the versatility of construction workers.
This objective is, however, “dangerous” in the case of operators of heavy machinery, because it would allow an untrained carpenter to find himself at the controls of a mechanical excavator, believes local 791, which is affiliated with the Federation of Workers du Québec (FTQ).
“It is imperative to exclude the professions of heavy machinery operators from the concept of versatility for reasons of health and safety at work , for workers and for the public,” said Mr. Leclerc.
More details will follow