The Saskatchewan government has appointed a special mediator in hopes of ending the labour dispute at the Co-op refinery.

Speaking to reporters at the legislature on Wednesday, Moe said he was pleased to hear both sides agreed to return to bargaining next week under the supervision of special mediator Vince Ready.

Moe noted Ready reached an agreement within days to help settle another recent labour dispute in B.C. Moe also pointed out Saskatchewan has had success with special mediators over the last number of years.

“Our batting average with special mediators is 100 per cent and it’s our hope that this is the first significant step in the negotiations towards an agreement, an agreement that will be beneficial for all involved and an agreement that will bring some peace to what has been an unrestful situation,” Moe said.

When asked if the province would ever consider Unifor’s call on him to introduce binding arbitration legislation, Moe said no.

“When you look at the history of labour disputes, that would be unprecedented in this type of a situation,” he said. “What is precedented is the appointment of a special mediator and that is what we have done and we are very positive that it will come to a positive outcome.”

Ready is to get involved on Feb. 18. The sides will have 20 days to reach a deal.

“If the parties are unable to reach an agreement, the mediator shall provide the parties and the minister with recommended terms for agreement,” a media release from the government said.

The refinery locked out Unifor members on Dec. 5 after the union issued strike notice.

The union has called on the province to introduce binding arbitration legislation, but Moe instead offered on Feb. 3 to appoint a special mediator.

The union responded by saying it wanted to have a mediator appointed whose powers included binding arbitration, but the province said that wasn’t possible under Saskatchewan’s labour legislation.

Unifor ‘cautiously optimistic’

Unifor Local 594 president Kevin Bittman said he’s “cautiously optimistic” about the special mediator.

He praised the provincial government for appointing Ready to help get a deal.

“I applaud the government’s decision for appointing the mediator; we hope that he can help us in getting a settlement,” Bittman said during a media conference. “I also applaud the government’s leadership in showing that they understand the impact that this lockout has had on the province of Saskatchewan and the city of Regina.”

Bittman also praised Ready, calling him the best in the business. However, the union believes the refinery doesn’t want to come to an agreement.

“We know from what we’ve seen at the bargaining table … We’re concerned that the company doesn’t want to deal. They still continue to bring in more trailers to try and run the shutdown. We’ve heard that they’re going to move the shutdown to a three-month period,” said Bittman.

Bittman said the union has only been trying to come to an agreement, pointing to the single day at the table the two sides had on Jan. 24. He said the union offered to contribute to the pension plan, but the Co-op made sure there wasn’t going to be a deal.

“They added major concessions that took away 40 per cent of our membership, including taking away job duties that we have defined in the collective agreement … They added five or six major concessions that they knew would be a no-go — they attacked union principles right off the bat,” explained Bittman.

However, Bittman said the union will participate in bargaining with the mediator, sit down at the table and try to get a deal.

“And if we can’t it’s not our fault because we have given and we’ve moved, and we’ve moved, and we’ve moved. And we are sitting here, at a time of record profits, with one ask — the national bargaining pattern and they have 20 different things on there that they want to take away from us,” said Bittman.

Co-op welcomes a mediator

The head of Federated Co-operatives Limited said that, from the moment when the premier offered the mediator, it’s something the company believed was important.

“There are very, very complex issues that are on the table and any help to encourage both parties to sit down and talk through those tough issues — to make decisions for the long-term sustainability of the refinery — is something we welcomed right from when the premier offered it,” said Scott Banda, FCL’s CEO.

The company has been saying that it will get back to bargaining once the blockades of its properties are taken down. The Regina Police Service took action Friday to clear out the area of the refinery.

On Wednesday, a Court of Queen’s Bench justice ordered the union to remove all of its barriers and fined Unifor $250,000 for violating a previous injunction.

Banda said before Wednesday’s judgment was released that the removal of the majority of the barricades was a positive step.

“Our position all the way through here is we respect the right to picket, but we need access to run our business in and out. We have that today and that is workable for us,” said Banda.

Banda believes it’s more important for both parties to get to the table and start talking through the issues; that’s the only way to a meaningful settlement.

— With files from 980 CJME’s Lisa Schick