Latest / VOCM On Demand / VOCM News Morning Update August 30

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VOCM News Morning Update August 30 · VOCM On Demand

• 0:06
  Speaker 1: I'm Brian Medore. Memorial University has eliminated more than 100
• 0:10
  Speaker 1: positions as part of cost-cutting measures outlined in its most
• 0:14
  Speaker 1: recent budget. The university trying to make up for an
• 0:17
  Speaker 1: operating deficit of well over $ 20 million. The elimination of
• 0:22
  Speaker 1: 107 positions will result in about $ 12. 7 million in annual
• 0:23
  Speaker 1: cost reductions. Of those, 19 involved redundancies or contracts that
• 0:32
  Speaker 1: were ended early or not renewed. Those affected have been contacted.
• 0:38
  Speaker 1: The breakdown includes 51 positions vacated through retirement, including 47
• 0:43
  Speaker 1: through a voluntary retirement program. The elimination of 37 vacant
• 0:48
  Speaker 1: positions and 19 that were cut by the university. The
• 0:52
  Speaker 1: reductions affect a range of professions, including leadership roles and
• 0:56
  Speaker 1: management positions, unionized staff and faculty. MUN President Janet Morrison
• 1:01
  Speaker 1: says the choices were difficult because they involved people who
• 1:05
  Speaker 1: contributed meaningfully to the university. Marine Atlantic was expecting this
• 1:10
  Speaker 1: to be a busy summer for traffic on its crossings.
• 1:13
  Speaker 1: They say the season has lived up to the hype.
• 1:16
  Speaker 1: The VP of Service and Innovation, Colin Thibault, says they
• 1:20
  Speaker 1: were seeing bookings coming in as early as January. Thibault
• 1:24
  Speaker 1: says that in some ways, it has been a record-breaking
• 1:27
  Speaker 1: season for Marine Atlantic.
• 1:29
  Speaker 2: The summer season in general, we typically carry about 65%
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  Speaker 2: of our passengers, 40% of the trucking industry sales between
• 1:37
  Speaker 2: the June and September time frame. So on the Gulf,
• 1:42
  Speaker 2: traffic is up 4% year over year. And on Argentia, similar.
• 1:48
  Speaker 2: Argentia's actually up 8% year over year. And on Argentia,
• 1:51
  Speaker 2: we're on pace for a record season. This could be
• 1:55
  Speaker 2: the busiest season in Argentia since 1968, which would be
• 1:58
  Speaker 2: the first year.
• 2:00
  Speaker 1: Ceremony will be held at St. John's International Airport September
• 2:04
  Speaker 1: 11th to mark the 25th anniversary of the 9-11 terrorist attacks.
• 2:09
  Speaker 1: It's one of several ceremonies taking place in the province
• 2:12
  Speaker 1: that day. including one in Gander and Appleton. The ceremony
• 2:17
  Speaker 1: at YYT will recognize the response from that airport in
• 2:21
  Speaker 1: the immediate aftermath of the attacks. The event will take
• 2:24
  Speaker 1: place in the main atrium of the airport. More details
• 2:28
  Speaker 1: will be released later. People who build and renovate home
• 2:32
  Speaker 1: and property say the new tariffs will have a significant
• 2:35
  Speaker 1: impact on all aspects of their industry. Canada will be
• 2:39
  Speaker 1: targeting a long list of items which it imports from
• 2:42
  Speaker 1: the United States, many of which go into construction. Kelly Rogers,
• 2:47
  Speaker 1: the executive officer with Newfoundland and Labrador Home Builders Association,
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  Speaker 1: says costs will go up and there will be delays
• 2:55
  Speaker 1: in both renovation projects and new home construction. The industry
• 2:59
  Speaker 1: already copes with shortages in the skilled trades. That's your news.
• 3:04
  Speaker 1: I'm Brian Medore.