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A University of Saskatchewan labour relations expert says he is “surprised and impressed” by how Saskatoon Co-op and the union representing its employees conducted themselves during a five-and-a-half-month strike that ended earlier this week.

It is remarkable that United Food and Commercial Workers Local 1400 held the line for almost half a year over a principle rather than a concrete issue, said Scott Walsworth, an associate professor of industrial relations at the Edwards School of Businesses.

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“It’s easy to convince workers to stay out on strike if they believe that they’re fighting for a bigger paycheque … But this was a very abstract notion of fairness for future workers, and usually that’s a hard sell,” Walsworth said hours after the strike ended.

Walsworth, who also serves as a labour arbitrator, said he was also impressed by Saskatoon Co-op’s decision to risk its reputation as a “folksy cornerstone of the community” in order to secure what it believes is necessary for financial sustainability.