The strike of 500 workers at three PotashCorp mines in Saskatchewan continued last week. While PotashCorp has reopened the Allan mine using management employees and a small number of new workers, speculation continues that the strike at Allan and Cory will eventually cause supply problems and/or price increases. The third mine, Patience Lake, is not slated to return to production from its summer down time until Oct. 4.
The PotashCorp strikers are members of the United Steelworkers. Discussions were expected to be held this past week as to how members of the Grain Services Union (GSU), which is striking giant Saskatchewan-based grain handler Viterra Inc., could support each other.
Some 200 employees of Viterra’s Regina headquarters have been on strike since July 7. However, Viterra says some 25 percent of these workers have returned to work.
In addition to the Regina workers, GSU units for the Saskatchewan Maintenance and Saskatchewan Operations have also voted to strike in June, though they have not yet. The non-Regina workers, representing some 650 workers across the province at grain elevators, told management earlier this month that they, too, would commence action against the company if an agreement was not soon reached. Many of the elevator locations also distribute fertilizer and other inputs. Some GSU members joined Regina workers Sept. 4 at the Balgonie country terminal outside Regina. Regina and GSU members set up a one-day informational picket at Weyburn Sept. 3. GSU has also set up one-day pickets at White City and Moose Jaw. Viterra said all other employees returned to work on the days of these one-day pickets.
GSU said that on Sept. 3 there was a mediation meeting between management and the Regina workers. GSU said it and management are discussing future dates for more talks.
Viterra told Green Markets that it has laid the necessary groundwork if GSU follows through with its threats to further disrupt services during harvest. “Our commitment to our farm customers and our end-use customers is at the heart of who we are as an organization,” said a Viterra spokesperson. “We have an excellent contingency plan that will keep operations running smoothly so that we can continue to serve the people and organizations who count on our quality services.”
Alberta and Manitoba workers voted earlier this summer by a large margin to accept the same offer made by Viterra.
Viterra is the new operating name of the Saskatchewan Wheat Pool after it acquired Agricore United.