After 197 days, the lockout at the Co-Op refinery which was very nasty and divided a city and province appears to be over.
Federated Co-Op and Unifor Local 594 have reached a tentative agreement with local 594 president Kevin Bittman saying a ratification vote will be held Monday.
Bittman isn’t saying what the deal contains, but he says it is one that is heavily favoured towards FCL.
“We never received anything!” Bittman insisted as he spoke with reporters Thursday morning. “All we did is get things taken away from us. There was not one thing we received in this whole ordeal. This company had every intention of taking out this local. This was union-busting at its finest.”
BREAKING: The bargaining committee of @Unifor594 reached a tentative agreement with the employer at the Co-op Refinery.
Thank you to the Unifor members, and workers from across the country and around the world for your unwavering support.#Unifor #canlabhttps://t.co/QCKPB4wHRY— Unifor (@UniforTheUnion) June 18, 2020
As for Federated Co-Op, spokesperson Brad DeLorey says it is great news for both sides.
“This is something that has gone on for almost seven months and we hope it is ratified Monday.” DeLorey said. “It is a deal that balances the appreciation for our unionized employees along with the fiscal realities of the industry.”
Unifor Local 594 represents 730 employees at the refinery.
