NAPE campaign doing more harm than good

Jerry Earle, you can’t have your cake and eat it, too.

The president of the Newfoundland and Labrador Association of Public and Private Employees is working very hard to represent his members, and I applaud him for that — that’s what he is getting paid for.

We have a finance minister who is supposed to be working for the people of this province, but in the case of promising no layoffs for public workers, it’s quite clear to me who he is working for — the public service.

So, who is working for us?

While I applaud Mr. Earle for doing his job, I have to criticize him very strongly for the campaign he is now doing by boycotting a group of business people who dared criticize — not you, Jerry, but the finance minister who agreed to this deal.

Now you are asking your members to cripple these businesses that keep this province afloat by employing people. If that is done they will have to lay off workers. Businesses have to make a profit in order to exist, unlike government, who, when they need more money — to waste, in many cases — can raise taxes. In other words, they hold out their hand and we, the taxpayers, fill it.

To Mr. Earle and his members: you should be very thankful you got such a good deal, now you want to destroy the very hardworking people who are paying your salaries.

To the finance minister: you, sir have opened up a hornets’ nest.