Federal workers frustrated with state of Paul Martin Building

CTV Windsor: Frustrations grow over building Federal employees working at Windsor's Paul Martin Building are frustrated with the state of the building. Stefanie Masotti explains.

The union representing workers at the Paul Martin Sr. Building in downtown Windsor says employees are fed up with the state of the building.

Roughly one hundred people, including members of the Taxation Employees Union, community activist, and political figures rallied outside the federal building on Friday, calling on the Harper government to step-up.

“We are here to be in their face to say this is unacceptable," says union VP, Marc Briere, “They are shocked, frustrated… they feel this building should not be destroyed, to be fixed and that the government should do the right thing."

Earlier this year, a notice from the federal government indicated the crumbling façade of the building poses a risk to employees and pedestrians. As a result, the feds refurbished the scaffolding to comply with the labour code.

The building has been in need of repair for quite some time. In fact, Windsor Mayor Eddie Francis previously estimated the cost to bring the building up to snuff to be $15 million.

At the same time, union leaders are also upset over contract negotiations with the government.

"The government is there to take, to take everything we've got, to strip our bargaining agreement," says Briere.

CTV Windsor reached out to the Department of Public Works for comment, but our calls have so far gone unreturned.