Interim Liberal leader Roger Melanson speaks during a media briefing on Monday, November 1st. Image: Video capture from Zoom.
The interim Liberal leader called it “shameful” the way Premier Higgs is punishing members of CUPE.
Thousand of education staff were locked out over the weekend as the strike continues.
Roger Melanson said the move to online learning is the Higgs government trying to get parents and others to turn on the workers.
“You don’t treat your employees this way. You get to the table, you negotiate. You lock yourself in, not lock yourself out of a negotiating session until you can get a resolution,” Melanson said.
The Opposition leader said he doesn’t want to see back to work legislation introduced this week.
He thinks resolving the CUPE strike should be the main focus of the new legislative session which starts on Tuesday.
“We are hearing rumours they may bring something, they may not. They may use the state of emergency pretext. They may bring something [into] the legislature for the healthcare side. They may bring something for education,” Melanson said.
Melanson said he turned down an invitation to attend the traditional dinner hosted by the Lieutenant-Governor before a new legislative session.
He said he doesn’t feel comfortable attending when people are on strike.
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