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“You can’t vote to get rid of your own job,” she said. “What sense does that make?”

Another proposal would take master operators out of the bargaining unit. Bittman, who is a master operator, laughed when reporters suggested the company wants to make him a manager.

“I can tell you right now, I’m not going to be a manager,” he said.

Bittman stressed that the union has already moved closer to the company’s position that workers must contribute to their pensions. Unifor 594’s last proposal was for a six per cent contribution, while the company has asked for 11 per cent.

Still, Bittman said he’s “cautiously optimistic” a deal can be reached in light of Ready’s appointment. But he noted that six per cent is already pushing the limit of what he, personally, is willing to accept.

But he said the union’s tactic of delaying trucks will remain unchanged, though he suggested workers will comply with injunctions that limit how long they can do that.

FCL has previously emphasized the wage hike of 11.75 per cent its offering workers, though Unifor has countered that it’s the same number offered to other energy workers across Western Canada.

FCL has also argued that its pension proposals remain extremely generous, with workers set to receive more than a million dollars in pension value if they move to a defined contribution plan. The union counters that the proposed plan, while generous, would still be a major hit compared to their existing employer-funded, defined benefit pensions.

Unifor previously asked the province to impose binding arbitration against the wishes of the Co-op Refinery Complex. Bittman reiterated on Wednesday that binding arbitration remains the union’s preference.

Morgan said he can’t do that under existing law. The Saskatchewan Employment Act makes no provision for the province to impose binding “interest arbitration,” where a neutral third party settles a dispute over collective bargaining through a decision both sides are obliged to accept.

Ready has worked in labour relations since 1965. In 1982, he established his private arbitration/mediation practice. According to the province, he is active in every province and territory in Canada and has arbitrated and or mediated more than 7,000 labour and commercial disputes in Canada.

The labour dispute began on December 5, 2019, at the CRC after the union issued strike notice and Co-op responded with a lock-out notice to workers.

More to come…