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“Oh they got to a judge already? They can say what they want, but it’s not illegal,” he said in an interview Wednesday.

Bittman says the picket line is not a barricade, as no fences or pallets — which were used in Regina blockades that came down after court orders — are part of the line. Instead, he called it an “informational picket,” set up in that city to offer customers information on the lockout.

In its release the company said the pickets are “using vehicles to prevent access to Legacy Co-op’s cardlock location and Federated Co-operatives Limited’s (FCL) bulk petroleum plant.”

FCL said it has contacted the RCMP and is considering legal action, having already successfully seen the union fined $100,000 for disobeying an interim injunction court order and $250,000 for contempt of court.

Late Wednesday afternoon, Scott Doherty, executive assistant to the national president of Unifor, said no cars were allowed into the cardlock, but he expected things would be open again on Thursday morning for all but Co-op vehicles. Doherty said that includes Co-op fuel trucks bringing gas and diesel to the locations.

Bittman said at the entrance to businesses, cars are being used for the safety of those on the picket line, and that the cars move to allow people entrance and exit.

“We don’t need picketers getting hit by vehicles coming in hot so that’s why the vehicles are there,” he added.

“That gives us an opportunity to not be in the line of fire when the vehicles pull up. And then once they’re stopped, it gives us the ability to let them know we have a peaceful picket going on and that there’s going to be a wait to get into the cardlock” he said.