Union, opposition sounding alarm after N.L. had only 1 water bomber available last weekend

Newfoundland and Labrador only had enough workers to safely fly one of its four water bombers on Monday, leading opposition politicians and union leaders to criticize government planning.

The province requires a minimum of 12 pilots to operate at full capacity, according to Transportation and Infrastructure Minister John Abbott, but only eight positions are currently filled.

With maintenance issues, a shortage of available pilots and water bombers being used to fight fires in other provinces, only one bomber was available over the weekend and into Monday.

"I've had my fingers and my toes crossed praying for rain," Labrador West MHA Jordan Brown saidMonday.

"We've known about this issue, and government's known about this issue, for so long.We have one plane. And we have a massive geography to cover."

The province is at fault for allowing the situation to happen, Brown said,and more needs to be done to make sure Newfoundland and Labrador is competitive in the recruiting and retention of pilots.

That starts with wages, according to Newfoundland and Labrador Association of Public and Private Employees president Jerry Earle. The union represents all of the province's water bomber pilots and groundcrew.

"We've lost several [pilots] now to competing jurisdictions and to private industry," Earle said. "We're down to now only about 50 per cent of the normal crew that we would have."

There have been89 forest fires in Newfoundland and Labrador this season, covering nearly 22,000 hectares, according to provincial data. The areas of current highest risk include southeastern Labrador and areas east of Gander toward Terra Nova.

The province's water bombers have been key in helping fight fires in Quebec and Nova Scotia this year. While that's important, Earle said, more needs to be done to make sure Newfoundland and Labradoris prepared as a hot and dry summer continues.

"This work is stressful at the best of times, but right now it's unbelievably stressful," he said. "The risks are quite substantial."

Raises could be coming

Abbott said Mondaythe lack of available planes is the result ofa global pilot shortage and pilots calling in sick in recent days. Once those on sick leave return, he said, the province should have three water bombers available.

He said the province is put in this predicament from time to time, which makes him "obviously nervous and concerned."

Abbott said he has also met with pilots to make sure they know they are supported and is preparing to offer big wage increases to make Newfoundland and Labrador competitivewith other provinces.

"We feel confident that if we can address the pay issue, that we will be able to recruit," Abbott said.

"People have left the service, left the province because of pay. We think if we are competitive, that they will come back.We're confident inthat regard."

Responding to Earle's suggestion that an increase of about 20 per cent would put Newfoundland and Labrador on par with provinces like Quebec,Abbott said that's about what theprovince is looking at.

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