Driver examiners threaten job action over proper compensation

CALGARY (660 NEWS) – If you’re looking to book a road test in the next couple weeks, beware.

Come March 1, all road tests will be carried out by government employees, moving away from the private model introduced by premier Ralph Klein in the 1990s.

While the Government of Alberta said it received much praise over the new plan, the driver examiners themselves aren’t celebrating.

Pete Llewellyn, executive director of the Certified Driver Examiners Association (CDEA), has called out the Ministry of Transportation for unfair payments and has demanded proper compensation for examiners.

The Association said that under the new model, examiners would make less than they do under the private system and also warn road tests could cost more.

Despite making their voices known to the government, Llewellyn believes they’re not being heard.

“Many of us have worked in the industry for 25 years. We pay our taxes, we pay corporate taxes to both the federal and provincial government. For them to say that we’re not a business, I take exception to that,” he stated.

He goes on to say that he has many questions to ask the Transportation Minister but doesn’t believe he’ll get a lot of answers.

“Because I think that they just haven’t done their job properly, that there are some significant gaps in the way in which they do their work. You have the authority to repatriate us but why are you putting the same people in charge that allowed the system to get broken to begin with.”

Llewellyn said that if the demands they’ve made aren’t met by the end of day on January 9, many examiners will not accept road tests for the next couple of weeks.

Llewellyn said that they’re also making this stance to draw attention to its plight that it can happen to any industry.

“If the government decides that this is in the best interest of the government and the people of Alberta, then we can take your business without paying you.”