Co-op says Unifor picket ‘illegal’

What Federated Co-operatives Ltd. (FCL) has characterized as an illegal blockade in Yorkton on Wednesday, Unifor calls a protected right to peaceful assembly.

Unifor members, locked out of the Co-op Refinery Complex (CRC) in Regina, put up a new picket line in Yorkton, prompting an email from the FCL accusing the union of threatening mediation talks that are underway with Vince Ready.

“Unifor continues its use of illegal blockades despite the mediation process being contingent on no illegal activity,” Heather Ryan, FCL vice-president of human resources, said in a statement. “It’s difficult to accept Unifor’s sincerity and commitment to the bargaining process when we see these tactics taking place during the mediation process.”

But Unifor Local 594 president Kevin Bittman denies FCL’S allegations, saying the picket is part of the union’s constitutional right to peaceful assembly.

“Oh, they got to a judge already? They can say what they want, but it’s not illegal,” he said in an interview Wednesday.

Bittman says the picket isn’t a barricade as no fences or pallets — which were used in Regina blockades that came down after court orders — are part of the line. He called it an “informational picket” set up in that city to offer customers information on the lockout.

In its release, the company said the pickets are “using vehicles to prevent access to Legacy Co-op’s cardlock location and Federated Co-operatives Ltd.’s (FCL) bulk petroleum plant.”

FCL said it has contacted the RCMP and is considering legal action, having already successfully seen the union fined $100,000 for disobeying an interim injunction court order and $250,000 for contempt of court.

Late Wednesday afternoon, Scott Doherty, executive assistant to the national president of Unifor, said no cars were allowed into the cardlock, but he expected things would be open Thursday morning for all but Co-op vehicles. Doherty said that includes Co-op fuel trucks bringing gas and diesel to the locations.

Bittman said businesses cars are being used at the entrance for the safety of those on the picket line, and that the cars move to allow people entrance and exit.

“We don’t need picketers getting hit by vehicles coming in hot, so that’s why the vehicles are there,” he added. “That gives us an opportunity to not be in the line of fire when the vehicles pull up. And then once they’re stopped, it gives us the ability to let them know we have a peaceful picket going on and that there’s going to be a wait to get into the cardlock.”

Bittman wasn’t sure how long that wait would be. When asked if the pickets were abiding by the court injunction, Bittman said the order by Court of Queen’s Bench Justice Janet Mcmurtry limiting members of Unifor Local 594 from impeding access for the purposes of conveying information to 10 minutes pertained to Regina and locations on the court order. He said Yorkton was not a part of that order.