REGINA – Despite the icy cold weather, steelworkers from Degelman Industries were picketing in the parking lot Monday morning.
The union representing 150 employees from the agricultural manufacturing company served strike notice last week. The workers were then locked out by management over the weekend.
About 50 people showed up to picket at 5:00 a.m. Monday and by 7:00 a.m. the group grew to about 80. The workers are taking shifts in order to picket around the clock.
“Everyone is happy and upbeat,” said Allen Donald, who’s been employed with Degelman since 1988. “We’re here to support each other right now.”
“The guys are pretty determined, obviously. They’re out here in 40-below weather and prepared to stay,” said Sonny Rioux with United Steelworkers.
The two sides have not negotiated since more than 80 per cent of the workers rejected a tentative deal presented in November. The main sticking point is wages.
“We brought the offer back to the crew. They rejected it so we’ve never gone back to the table to see if we could move that offer,” said Rioux.
General Manager of Degelman Industries, Blair Flavel, said the company was offering 11.5 per cent wage increase over three years.
“A pretty fair deal based on all the information we collected prior to going to negotiations. It’s unfortunate where it’s ended up,” said Flavel. “Honestly I don’t know what they want.”
Degelman workers also walked off the job for three days in 2004.
The plant is mostly shut down as only a handful of non-unionized employees continue to work.
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