Message of solidarity with locked out Unifor Members at the Regina Co-op Refinery

The ITF Offshore Task Force, representing maritime workers worldwide in the offshore oil, gas and windfarm industries, pledges its full support to Unifor Local 594 members and strongly condemns the executives at Co-op Refinery in Regina, Saskatchewan in their attempt to undermine basic union rights by flying in scab labour to replace the locked out workers.

For over 60 days, 800 Unifor workers in Regina have been unjustly locked out by the Co-op Refinery which is run by the Federated Co-operatives Limited (FCL) for simply seeking better protection of their hard-earned pensions. The workers are fundamental to the company’s financial success, which earns CAD 3 million per day - still management wants to slash the workers’ financial security and retirement benefits.

The ITF Offshore Task Force is outraged over the anti-union behaviour by Regina Police force, who have been intimidating workers on the picket line and arrested Unifor National President Jerry Dias on the line in January.

In an attempt to reach a collective bargaining agreement, Unifor’s bargaining unit has tried to agree to concessions with FCL on multiple occasions, yet the refinery continues to make unacceptable demands, proving that the company is not bargaining in good faith.

The ITF Offshore Task Force calls on Co-op Refinery to return to the bargaining table and negotiate a collective agreement in good faith. The ITF Task Force will continue to stand with our sisters and brothers at Unifor in their struggle to protect their members.

ITF Offshore Task Force Members:

• Maritime Union of Australia (Australia)
• Australian Maritime Officers Union (Australia)
• Seafarers' International Union of Canada (Canada)
• Centralorganisationen Søfart (Denmark)
• National Union of Rail, Maritime and Transport Workers (Great Britain)
• Unite The Union (Great Britain)
• National Union of Seafarers of India (India)
• Kesatuan Pelaut Indonesia (Indonesia)
• Orden de Capitanes y Pilotos Navales de la República Mexicana, Similares y Conexos (Mexico)
• Nautilus International (Netherlands)
• Nigeria Merchant Navy Officers' and Water Transport Senior Staff Association (Nigeria)