Degelman employees to go back to work Monday after ending strike

REGINA – About 150 Degelman Industries workers are going back to work Monday after voting in favour of accepting a new three-year contract.

“It was a hard battle. I couldn’t be prouder of our members. They picketed in large numbers in viciously cold weather, and the result was unbroken,” said Sonny Rioux, a staff representative for the United Steel Workers Local 5917.

Workers voted 70 per cent in favour of the deal yesterday.

The nascent collective agreement ensures a $1 raise ($1.25 for workers with 10 years of service with the company) for the first year, paid retroactively to when the terms of the contract expired in November. Workers will also get a $0.70 raise each year for the following two years.

“There is never a clear winner in a labour dispute,” said Rioux, adding that some workers may be back on the job as early as Sunday.

While money was the main sticking point, Rioux said he was pleased that the deal included improvements to benefits and the language of the collective agreement.

The parties met with a provincial government mediator last Wednesday and Thursday, reaching a tentative deal on the latter.

The workers had been on the picket line since February 10.