Skip to content

Picket-line standoff

THUNDER BAY -- Rising tensions between Bombardier and its striking local workers led to a picket-line standoff between those workers and a plant manager Tuesday.
350074_635416382569105259
A group of striking members of Unifor Local 1075 surround a vehicle containing Aaron Rivers, Bombardier's Thunder Bay head of operations, on Tuesday. The vehicle reportedly sat at the gate for close to four hours before leaving. Rivers did not attempt to cross the line on foot. (Matt Vis, tbnewswatch.com)

THUNDER BAY -- Rising tensions between Bombardier and its striking local workers led to a picket-line standoff between those workers and a plant manager Tuesday.

Just a day before Bombardier and Unifor Local 1075 will be in court over an injunction filed by the Montreal-based company, pickets on the line blocked the vehicle of Thunder Bay head of operations Aaron Rivers from entering the plant for hours in the late morning and early afternoon.

The vehicle sat at the main gate until around noon before backing away and exiting the entrance to the plant. Rivers did not attempt to cross the line on foot.

Bombardier spokeswoman Stephanie Ash said the vehicle was held up for nearly four hours before leaving the plant.

“This is a typical situation many of our management team has been dealing with for the last week,” Ash said during an interview with CKPR Radio.

“He obviously expected to have some hold up but having to sit there and listen to verbal harassment for four hours is not really a pleasant experience.”

The two sides will head to court Wednesday morning to present arguments regarding the injunction filed by the company last week to introduce procedures on the line.

The union, which represents the nearly 900 striking workers, has accused the company of the taking the legal route to limit the power of striking workers and take away their right to demonstrate.

Meanwhile the company insists its goal is merely to create a safe environment on the line and allow traffic to move in and out of the plant. About 400 employees at the plant who are not members of the striking union and must still report to work as scheduled.

“The injunction is about trying to have an agreed protocol so that we can get into the site safely. Obviously with any strike you expect the union members want to express their frustration and concerns and there will be holdups,” she said.

“We’re looking to have some time implementation in terms of what’s reasonable…We think half an hour is probably enough time to make a point.”

Unifor Local 1075 president Dominic Pasqualino said he did not think the demonstration would negatively impact the union’s case.
He points to Rivers remaining in the vehicle and not entering the site is proof his appearance was done with the intent to bait the workers.

“We made a pathway for him to get through,” Pasqualino said.

“I think Aaron Rivers is here today to provoke crews and hope we would do something stupid to help their case for the injunction.”
Pasqualino added he was hopeful Rivers would have spoken to workers, saying they “deserved that respect.”

For the second straight day members of city council paid a visit to the line to lend support to the workers. This time it was at-large Coun. Aldo Ruberto and Red River Coun. Brian McKinnon who followed the Monday lead of Mayor Keith Hobbs and Coun. Paul Pugh.

Ruberto appeared to attempt to speak with Rivers while the vehicle was outside the plant but was unsuccessful.

He also spoke to the workers as a group, saying the city supported them and he was hopeful the dispute would be resolved sooner rather than later.

When asked if there was anything the city could do other than provide moral support, Ruberto said there are ongoing efforts.

“If somebody could tell us what to do we would do it. We’re trying our best. We’re talking to people behind the scenes,” Ruberto said.

“We want people back to work as quickly as possible.”

There still is no indication of when contract negotiations will resume.


 





push icon
Be the first to read breaking stories. Enable push notifications on your device. Disable anytime.
No thanks