The Co-op Cardlock in Redcliff is pictured on Wednesday - Photo by Charles Lefebvre

By Charles Lefebvre

Co-ops across prairies put fuel limits on card locks

Feb 5, 2020 | 12:14 PM

MEDICINE HAT, AB — The ongoing strike at the Co-op Refinery Complex has led to the parent company of Co-op to begin limiting fuel at card locks in the prairie provinces.

Several Co-ops in Saskatchewan have posted a message on their Facebook pages, or at card locks, noting that card users are being restricted to 300 litres of diesel per day and 100 litres of gasoline per day on their card.

“Due to Unifor’s illegal blockades at our complexes, we are experience periodic delivery delays,” a message on the Delta Co-op Facebook page reads. “Further court action is occurring this week, and we are hopeful lawful access will be restored to the Refinery and other locations soon.”

Late Wednesday morning, South Country Co-op in Medicine Hat posted on Twitter that restrictions have been put in place locally.

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“Federated Co-operatives Limited and the Co-op Refinery Complex would like to assure our customers that there is plenty of fuel available,” the message reads. “However, Unifor’s illegal blockades are preventing us from getting it to you.”

The move has prompted a variety of reactions from local truckers. One driver said he was concerned about how far his company would let him drive if they have to limit fuel, while another said it would mean they would likely have to deliver less loads.

Another said he would likely not be affected, as his driving distance is shorter, but he understands how it can impact other companies and drivers.

Federated Co-operatives Limited (FCL), the parent company for Co-ops across the prairies, and Unifor, the union representing workers at the Co-op Refinery, have been involved in a prolonged labour dispute since December.

Gavin McGarrigle, western regional director with Unifor, says the messaging from FCL regarding the fuel restrictions is “misleading.”

“They’re trying to put all of the blame on Unifor, and the reality is that this dispute is not a strike, it’s a lockout,” he said over the phone from Regina.

Workers have been locked out of the refinery for 62 days. One of the main issues between Unifor and FCL is regarding employee pension changes, which would see employees contribute a portion of their salaries to their pension (the union presently does not have to contribute to their pension).

Unifor issued a strike notice on December 4, with the refinery locking out employees the next day. Replacement workers have been flown in by helicopter to work in the refinery at several points.

Barricades have been set up at the Regina refinery since January 20, only temporarily being removed during negotiations.

On January 25, Unifor workers also erected barricades at a refinery in Carseland, Alberta. FCL has sought an injunction from the Court of Queen’s Bench to remove the blockade there.

South Country Co-op uses both refineries to help supply fuel for its locations in Alberta and Saskatchewan.

South Country CEO Paul Haynes says the company has been moving fuel around all of its locations to manage its supply, and are hoping for a quick end to the blockades.

“We are hoping that they remove the blockades from Carseland, which means we would immediately be able to get fuel out to our retail locations starting hopefully tomorrow morning,” he said over the phone from Carseland. “If that does not happen, then it’s inevitable, we are probably going to experience some shortages at various locations throughout southern Alberta.”

Haynes says any shortages would have a significant impact on the community.

“We provide fuel to school bus companies, to farmers who have to look after their livestock and cattle, we provide fuel to various large commercial companies that rely on our fuel,” he said. “There’s many people that will be affected by this, including our customers who live in all of these communities.”

McGarrigle says the union is asking the public to make their voices heard to Co-op.

“We’re asking them to reach and say to the Co-op board ‘get back to the bargaining table, bargain a fair agreement, so we can get the fuel we need,’” he said. “We don’t want to see anyone impacted by this, but again, it is Co-op that has locked out its own workforce, who live in and work around Regina.”

At present, there is no word on when negotiations will resume.