Egland scores Teddy Bear Toss goal but Pats lose in OT
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Over 3,000 stuffed animals were tossed onto the ice.
A peaceful moment wasn’t to be had in downtown Regina for an hour Thursday morning, as around 90 truckers did laps in frustration.
They were all truckers who are contracted to haul fuel for the Co-op refinery, and whose work has been drastically slowed down or even stopped in some cases because of the labour dispute.
“We basically got a little bit fed up with some of the tactics used by Unifor,” said Heather Day, president of C.S. Day Transport.
“Some of our trucks haven’t worked since the blockade went up (at the refinery) on Jan. 20, so it has been 18 days now that some of those trucks have been parked, unable to get any fuel (to haul).”
About 90 truckers who contract with the Co-op refinery took part in a rally this morning, taking laps around Regina’s downtown. They were trying to raise awareness of the frustrations they’re dealing with around the refinery labour dispute. pic.twitter.com/M1U4BHTmGr
— Lisa Schick (@LMSchickler) February 6, 2020
The Co-op Refinery Complex locked out employees represented by Unifor on Dec. 5.
Day explained that it has been a very frustrating and stressful situation for the drivers.
“There’s plenty of fuel for us to ship but we just can’t get to it,” she said.
The trucks driving their track around downtown Regina had signs lashed to the front grilles with messages like “Go home Unifor scabs,” “Unifor disrespects everyone” and “No fuel no groceries.”
Truckers who are contracted by the Co-op refinery rallied on Feb. 6, 2020, driving in a circuit around downtown Regina to bring attention to their frustrations. (Lisa Schick/980 CJME)
Day said since the blockades at the refinery went up, the 26 trucking companies involved have lost up to $2.5 million combined in gross revenue. Since the lockout began, the companies’ losses are approaching $10 million.
Day said the truckers are just caught in the middle of the dispute.
“We respect the role that unions play and we respect the collective bargaining process, but think that these tactics that Unifor has been using are crossing the line,” Day said.
Day talked about incidents where truckers found caltrops in some of their tires, saying the incidents could have blown out tires and caused crashes that killed people.
She said truckers have been followed as well. She noted that a couple weeks ago, a trucker was unloading fuel at a gas station and was approached by two men, one of whom was carrying a piece of 2×4.
The truckers are also worried about fuel shortages, according to Day; she said they’re already seeing gas stations running out in Winnipeg.
“It’s really concerning that (Unifor is) basically holding the prairie provinces especially but all of Western Canada hostage by choking off the fuel supply,” she said.
Day said the truckers have real concern for rural communities and those who need fuel, like farmers, ambulances, fire trucks, and school buses.
Some of the trucks also had signs calling on the Regina Police Service to step in to the dispute, some calling for the officers and the chief to “do their jobs.”
Day said some of the truckers have been trapped behind fences in the past couple of months — including eight on Thursday — and are frustrated with police.
But she also said that they’re grateful for what the police have been doing recently, like ticketing vehicles illegally parking near the picket lines or towing some vehicles.
While police spokespeople said officers were monitoring the rally but hadn’t been given advance notice of the protest, Day said she had emailed Chief Evan Bray on Wednesday night to give him the information.