NDP candidate for Sarnia-Lambton Jason McMichael speaks at Rally. October 27, 2017 (Photo by Colin Gowdy)NDP candidate for Sarnia-Lambton Jason McMichael speaks at Rally. October 27, 2017 (Photo by Colin Gowdy)
Sarnia

McMichael Vows To Continue Fight For Worker Safety

The president of the Sarnia and District Labour Council says workplace safety will continue to be a priority in 2018.

Jason McMichael says a recent court decision that found Veolia Environmental Services not guilty of criminal negligence in the death of a worker and serious injury to five others in 2014, was "one of the hardest hits they've taken."

"If your employer doesn't provide you with a safe work environment, they should be held accountable for that, if they don't provide you with adequate training to do your job safely, they should be held accountable for that," says McMichael. "And that's one of the things we're going to work hard towards in 2018 and into the future, again in making sure that workers get to return home safely to their families at the end of their shift."

Recently acclaimed as labour council president for another two-year term, McMichael is optimistic this year will be a prosperous one.

"As we head into 2018, the future has never looked brighter for workers in Sarnia-Lambton," says McMichael. "There are announcements like the NOVA expansion, and we're on the heels of some great things with BioAmber. We've got folks working in Sarnia, earning a good working-class income and we're going to make sure that we advocate for a safe workplace for them."

McMichael says NOVA's decision to build a $2.2-billion world-scale polyethylene plant in St. Clair Township will have widespread economic benefits across all sectors.

Preliminary work is already underway, with start-up scheduled for late 2021.

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