Article content continued

“It is worded that way, but we need our time to communicate our message to you,” responds a picketer who is off-camera.

Scott Doherty, executive assistant to the national president of Unifor, said the union is not violating the court order.

“Our interpretation is we’re allowed to hold people up for ten minutes and we’re going to continue to do that,” said Doherty during a phone interview on Jan. 1.

Doherty said the order does not say drivers have to listen to the information being conveyed by picketers.

“Truck drivers or Co-op Refinery don’t get to interpret the judge’s order. The order is clear that we’re allowed to leave up to ten minutes, and we’re going to continue to do that,” said Doherty.

Doherty said the union met with the Regina Police Service (RPS) and Co-op’s security personnel on Dec. 31 to talk about the order.

Heather Day, the president of C.S. Day Transport Ltd., said most of her company’s 40 drivers are reporting similar experiences. Day said she did not agree with Unifor’s interpretation of the language.

“I just don’t really see how they’re arriving at that interpretation,” said Day.

Brad DeLorey, the director of communications and public affairs for the Co-op Refinery, also disagreed with Unifor’s interpretation of the court order, and said the next legal step would be for drivers to report the incidents to the police.

“They have a maximum of ten minutes to communicate to someone trying to come across the line, or if that person’s unwilling to listen they are to proceed immediately through, and that’s very clear in the court order,” said DeLorey during a phone interview.

The Leader-Post contacted the RPS to ask if it was investigating any complaints, but did not receive a response at press time.

On Dec. 3, shortly after receiving strike notice from Unifor, Consumers’ Co-operative Refineries Limited (CCRL) served a 48-hour lockout notice on the union. The lockout began on Dec. 5.

mmelnychuk@postmedia.com