A mediator will sit down with management from Regina’s Co-op refinery this weekend to discuss the state of lengthy contract talks with their 800 employees.
Mediated talks broke down last weekend and if no agreement is reached, a report will be sent to the provincial labour minister prior to a cooling-off period.
Unifor, the union which represents the workers, says at the end of that period either side can serve 48-hour notice of a strike or a lockout.
The union says the company is trying to impose lower wages and pensions on new workers and contract out more jobs.
“New workers with the same training and the same skills deserve the same benefits. It’s that simple,” said Kate McKinley, Unifor National Representative. “We won’t let the employer cheapen the quality of jobs for current employees or future ones.”
“We won’t accept concessions from a company as profitable as FCL,” said McKinley.
The union said the refinery made a profit of $500 million in 2016.
The refinery will not comment while negotiations are in progress and is disappointed that Unifor has chosen to bargain through the media while collective bargaining is underway.