A man named in a Unifor video displaying the names and photos of temporary workers at the Co-op Refinery Complex wants the union to clear his name.
Kalpesh Patel, who’s a co-owner of Birmingham’s Vodka & Ale House in Regina and Saskatoon, said he doesn’t want this situation to damage his name and his business.
Patel added he has nothing to do with the Co-op refinery or Unifor, the union representing locked out workers, after he was one of several people named in a video posted on Unifor’s Twitter account.
(Image taken from Unifor video/Twitter)
Since the video was posted on Saturday, Patel has received a number of calls and has screened some of them since they are from unknown or private numbers.
“I contacted my lawyer and he suggested that I stay home and not go out because maybe something wrong could happen,” stated Patel during a media gathering at Birmingham’s on Victoria Avenue in Regina.
“I’m just doing business here and I’m just a local business owner. I don’t know what to do.”
Patel said he has never even been at the refinery before, so he doesn’t understand why his name and photo were included in the video.
He admitted it has been a confusing situation for him. “I own Birmingham’s. I have a partner and we run the business – so I have no clue about it.”
Patel mentioned that he has to speak to his lawyer to see what his next step will be.
