Labour leaders are urging the federal and provincial governments to take immediate steps to protect the health and safety of construction workers and the public during the novel coronavirus pandemic.

The Laborers’ International Union of North America says many construction sites are not following proper protocols on hand hygiene and social distancing designed by health authorities to try to slow the transmission of the virus that causes COVID-19 disease.

“If these issues are not resolved in an expedited manner, we will have no choice but to recommend a complete and total shutdown of the construction industry,” warned Joseph Mancinelli, LiUNA international vice-president, in a letter this weekend to the federal and provincial labour ministers.

The Canadian Construction Association is also calling on Ottawa to introduce consistent measures to protect workers across the country, amid a growing chorus of voices saying it is too risky for job sites to remain open.

The construction industry, one of Canada’s largest employers, with more than 1.5 million workers, is out of step with much of the rest of the economy. Theatres and other cultural venues have drawn their curtains, many office employees are working from home and most retail outlets with the exception of grocery stores and pharmacies have shut down.

CCA president Mary Van Buren wrote to Prime Minister Justin Trudeau on the weekend, saying there is an urgent need for health authorities to provide guidelines on best practices to protect workers during the COVID-19 outbreak.

Ms. Van Buren also asked for details on how companies and individuals can get access to financial relief. “This is critical to provide assurances that business owners are not asked to decide between health and safety on one hand and a business failure on the other,” the letter says.

Labour leaders have asked Ontario Labour Minister Monte McNaughton to strengthen the enforcement of hand hygiene and social-distancing measures by dispatching ministry staff to inspect every construction site in the province.

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