Unifor Local 594 pickets set up at Co-op cardlock locations across western Saskatchewan

For the remainder of the week, farmers in Belle Plaine, Kindersley, Wilkie, Outlook and Glaslyn will likely see Unifor information pickets set up at their local Co-op cardlock and bulk station locations.

Union members made it clear a couple of weeks ago that farmers would be seeing more of them set up at rural locations. There are about 700 locked out Co-op Regina refinery workers.

Unifor Local 594 negotiating chair Nathan Kraemer says the purpose of the picket lines is to illustrate the workers want to get back to work, and they hope to influence farmers to speak out to their MLAs. He went so far as to say the situation with management at the Co-op Refinery in Regina amounts to “union busting.”

So why target farmers during seeding?

“It’s a busy time for them. It’s when we have the most ears that could hear our message,” explained Kraemer. “In a couple more weeks when (seeding) is all over, there’s going to be a lot fewer people utilizing those locations that we’re able to get our message out to.”

Kraemer believes farmers do hold some influence on Co-op.

“They’re their largest pool of clients,” he said. “And beyond that, even with the government, if they’re pressing on MLAs or whatever to help bring an end to this, any pressure in that respect is good pressure.”

But cattle rancher Cole McCaffrey doesn’t necessarily agree. He watched early Tuesday morning as union members set out bright pylons, and as RCMP cruisers made their way to the Glaslyn location to watch what was going on.

“I don’t mind them; if they want to take a moment of my time, that’s fine,” McCaffrey said. “I don’t really agree with what Unifor was doing in the winter in Regina and through the spring … but I ran into their protests before in Saskatoon and that was fine.

“That’s the only cardlock Glaslyn has. So any business or any farmers up in this area who are trying to get stuff done in a hurry at this time of year, you know, there’s quite a few people who might not have the patience. I hope they’re not holding people up too long.”

When McCaffrey has gone through the information pickets, he said it didn’t take very long, but union members asked whether he would consider spending money at another location. That request, he explains, is not very practical for many farmers and truckers.

“It doesn’t work in Glaslyn,” he said. “The next cardlock is Spiritwood, which is 45 minutes away. Meadow Lake’s a good hour, and then North Battleford is another 45 minutes. A lot of times, especially truckers don’t fuel up too much fuel in their tanks. That could really put a wrench into someone’s travels.”

Kraemer says what the union is hoping for now is to get back to work without too many people losing their jobs. That means the pickets will continue for the next couple of weeks at least.

“Ideally, we’re not going to have to be out there all summer doing this …,” he said. “We’re not looking to impede the farmers or cause them problems. They’re hugely important to us, to the province. It’s just that we have limited ways to keep our message out there.”