Snow plow drivers, other municipal staff face threats, harassment

Municipal workers face rising harassment and the Association of Ontario Road Supervisors is urging the province to act.

Municipal public works employees and contractors have been the target of frustration by some community members when they are out plowing snow from the street.

The Association of Ontario Road Supervisors has been calling on the province to intervene to address increased harassment towards municipal public work employees.

“You know, if you get yelled at or something like that, it’s just part of the job of working for a municipality. But that’s not the case. That shouldn’t be part of the job,” said the association’s Kelly Elliott.

“And so we’re really trying to raise awareness that this behaviour is uncalled for and that it is actually creating very unsafe workplaces, where municipal public works employees don’t feel safe to come to work.”

In Sudbury, Ward 9 Coun. Deb McIntosh is bringing a motion forward at the next city council meeting March 10, calling on the province to recognize municipal public works staff as essential during emergencies and significant weather events.

Elliot says public works staff are essential during major weather events.

“We have written letters to the Minister of Labour, as well as the Solicitor General, requesting legislative changes to better protect municipal public employees,” she said.

“We’ve already seen several municipalities across the province pass a similar motion that the City of Greater Sudbury is looking at. So it is becoming an issue that I think municipalities are recognizing that it is their responsibility to provide a safe workplace for their employees.”

Elliott said unsafe work conditions could lead to unsafe communities because, as many in the workforce near retirement, unsafe working conditions will make it much harder to find replacements.