Law must be enforced--business can't be held hostage

REGINA, Feb. 3, 2020 /CNW/ - In an address to business leaders in Regina, Federated Co-operatives Limited (FCL) CEO Scott Banda called for the law to be enforced so bargaining could begin again without the threat of Unifor's illegal blockades.

"Unifor said this labour dispute can only be resolved at the bargaining table, and on that we agree," said Banda. "But the bargaining table doesn't look like setting up blockades, breaking the law and defying court orders. You can't have meaningful bargaining when your business is being held hostage."

Although the two parties returned to the bargaining table on Friday, Jan. 31, talks between FCL and Unifor broke down. After bargaining for 13 hours, Unifor walked away from the bargaining table and re-established their fence blockades at the Co-op Refinery Complex (CRC) even though FCL was prepared to continue bargaining for days.

The disturbing precedent being set by Unifor's disregard for the law, labour relations and the right for businesses to operate should give all businesses and levels of government serious pause.

"Unifor, I'm calling on you to end these illegal blockades and get back to the bargaining table for as long as it takes to get our people back to work," said Banda. "Since Unifor's illegal blockades have remained for weeks and their aggressive actions gone unchecked, I'm asking law enforcement to enforce Justice McMurtry's court order."

For much of this labour disruption, Unifor has defied the law by erecting illegal blockades at the refinery, the FCL Carseland Fuel Terminal and other Co-op locations in Weyburn and Regina. They have been held in contempt of court for intentionally and deliberately disobeying a Queen's Bench court injunction order. They will face a court injunction hearing for the illegal blockade of FCL's fuel terminal in Carseland, Alta. this Wednesday, Feb. 5. They will be held accountable at a second contempt court hearing in Saskatchewan this Thursday, Feb. 6. As well, 14 people were arrested for actions at their illegal blockade.

Until the blockades are removed and bargaining can resume, FCL and the CRC remain committed to safely and efficiently operating the refinery and fuelling Western Canada, from farmers preparing for seeding, to truckers hauling much-needed goods to school buses starting their routes at a Co-op cardlock. Unfortunately, there is potential for sporadic fuel outages as a result of Unifor's illegal blockades cutting off fuel from Western Canadians.

More information on this labour disruption is available at refineryfacts.ca. 

About Federated Co-operatives Limited and the Co-operative Retailing System
Federated Co-operatives Limited (FCL), based in Saskatoon, is the 54th largest company in Canada and the largest non-financial co-operative in Canada. FCL is a unique multi-billion dollar wholesaling, manufacturing, marketing and administrative co-operative owned by more than 170 autonomous local co-operatives across Western Canada. Together FCL and those local retail co-operatives form the Co-operative Retailing System (CRS). The CRS serves our members and communities with products and services that help build, feed and fuel individuals and communities from Vancouver Island to northwestern Ontario. Our total workforce of 25,000 employees serve 1.9 million active individual members and many more non-member customers at 1,500 retail locations in more than 580 communities. We are a different kind of business ? we are locally invested, community-minded and offer lifetime membership benefits including patronage refunds, quality products, quality service and fair prices. More information is available at www.fcl.crs. 

SOURCE Federated Co-operatives Limited