REGINA – Unionized country services staff employed by Saskatchewan Wheat Pool have voted 83.4 percent in favor of strike action.
The Grain Services Union announced April 15 that, with only 25 office workers in Vancouver and 63 Western Producer employees left to vote, the membership had given a “massive endorsation” to the union bargaining committee and a “wake-up call” to management.
GSU secretary-manager Hugh Wagner said at a news conference that he has spoken with officials in Ottawa and has learned a federal conciliator will be appointed. He said meetings should begin in the next week or two.
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The conciliator will have 15 days to resolve the dispute, Wagner said, and that term can be extended if necessary.
“If the management does not take our peace offers and decide to work with us there will be a company-wide shut down of Sask. Wheat Pool facilities this spring or early summer,” Wagner said.
He admitted that job action would not be popular.
“We all recognize that the grain business is something that’s important to the economy of Saskatchewan and a lot of people depend on it. We have absolutely no desire to disrupt its orderly function. However, the management of the pool have given us only two options – submit to their demands or fight.”
There are approximately 1,800 workers who belong to the GSU – 1,100 of them in the country services division. Earlier votes by construction and repair, Regina head office, Thunder Bay office and Winnipeg office resulted in 76, 85, 100 and 89 percent, respectively, in favor of strike action, Wagner said.
But he did not rule out continuing negotiations. Wagner said the union bargaining committee has offered to start over with a clean slate if the company withdraws its cutbacks and the elimination of construction and repair jobs.
Up to the union
Mike Roberts of the pool, speaking on behalf of management negotiators, said the union bargaining committee broke off talks so it should be the one to indicate a willingness to return to the table.
Roberts said the company is “surprised somewhat by the timing of (the strike votes).” He said while votes are a normal part of the bargaining process, negotiations were still in an early stage.
A contingency plan is being developed, Roberts said, although he declined to give details.
“Our objective is to continue to serve the customers,” he said. “We’ll be working in conciliation and we’ll be releasing details of our contingency plan at the appropriate time.”
Wagner said a final decision has not been made on whether job action would be done on a rotating basis. He said the mood at membership meetings has been “if we’re gonna go, let’s go on a total system basis.”
Employees have never struck Saskatchewan Wheat Pool, which has been unionized since 1936. In 1979, the GSU struck Manitoba Pool Elevators for two days.
Saskatchewan agriculture minister Darrel Cunningham said a strike would be bad news for the province.
“That’s a very dangerous situation for us. We certainly can’t stand any more disruptions in grain movement this year.”
(Contract bargaining between the SWP and the GSU affects approximately 1,800 employees, among them 63 at the Western Producer.)
