Alberta judge grants enforcement order against Unifor blockade in Carseland

An Alberta judge has granted police the ability to enforce a court ruling to remove Unifor barricades at Federated Co-operatives Limited’s (FCL) fuel distribution terminal in Carseland, Alta.

On Thursday, the Alberta Court of Queen’s Bench in Calgary granted FCL’s request for an injunction against the union blockade.

In a news release, Co-op said the blockade remained in place and the company returned to court on Friday requesting an amendment “to add police enforcement clauses that better aid the RCMP to enforce the order, and to add a clause that allows a bailiff to remove the fences, vehicles and other obstacles blocking entry to the facility if Unifor fails to remove them.”

“Justice Campbell granted these requests to amend the interim injunction order, stating Unifor is not above the law. She stated that this flouting of court orders is completely unacceptable; it cannot and will not be tolerated in Alberta,” FCL said.

If the union does not remove the Carseland blockade by noon on Sunday, a bailiff will. According to FCL, the judge also defined two picket zones where picketers are allowed to stand.

There is no enforcement order issued through the courts in Saskatchewan in relation to the barricades at the refinery gates in Regina. A judge has reserved his decision in a second contempt hearing which was held on Thursday.

As of Saturday morning, Regina police still had Ninth Avenue North closed to traffic between McDonald and Winnipeg streets.

Union members were being allowed through to walk the picket line after being shut out by police as officers on Friday as the barricades were cleared up and fuel trucks given access to the refinery.