Sides reach tentative deal in Regina refinery lockout
Union says proposed settlement will cost its members $15,000-$20,000 per year
REGINA The long road to a tentative agreement between the Co-op Refinery Complex and Unifor Local 594 has been marred by arrests, threats of violence and the worst weather Saskatchewan has to offer.
Kevin Bittman, president of Local 594, admits the union accepted every concession put on the table.
Yet, while speaking on a dreary Thursday, he said the tentative deal — reached after 196 days — is a victory for the union. “We’re walking out of this with our heads held high,” Bittman said.
What Co-op called its final and best offer was previously rejected by 89 per cent of the voting members, but that same deal is now largely what Local 594 members will be voting on.
Co-op Refinery spokesman Brad Delorey said he’s hopeful the membership will accept the deal.
While the union preferred the recommendations made by special mediators Vince Ready and Amanda Rogers, the company did not accept it. A breakthrough in negotiations was adding a returnto-work agreement. In the current system, Bittman said, grievances can take three or four years to get through arbitration. An expedited review process has now been included.
“It’s not right to have people getting fired or disciplined and taking that long to get their job back,” he said.
The preliminary agreement comes six months after workers were locked out on Dec. 5, 2019. Since then, oil prices collapsed and entered negative price territory, and the COVID -19 pandemic slashed demand and oil production the world over.
Unifor national president Jerry Dias said surviving the lockout is a victory for the union.
“Talk about David and Goliath,” he said.
The contract, according to Bittman, will likely cost members $15,000 to $20,000 a year. The company said the cuts are needed to deal with the current financial outlook. In April the CRC cut production by approximately 30,000 barrels per day amid volatility in international oil markets and reduced demand due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
“The industry is changing. Frankly, the world is changing.
And we have to make changes to our operation and we have to remain competitive,” Delorey said.
The contract, he added, will achieve that goal now and into the future.
Minister of Labour Relations and Workplace Safety Don Morgan was glad to see the dispute reach a conclusion.
“It will be good to see that it’s put to rest,” he added. “Work was done by the parties, as it should be.”
Saskatchewan NDP Leader Ryan Meili said he was “very pleased to see, finally, this lockout has ended.”
Bittman said there’s no ill will toward managers working in the plant, but that relationships with upper management and bosses have been irreparably damaged.
“Those tainted relationships will never get mended. This was personal,” he said.
Bittman said the 730 members of the local have become well versed in how to lobby, and that they plan to petition the government to change existing legislation.
“We’re going to harness that,” he said. “For us right now, Saskatchewan is a pretty disappointing place to live.”