The long strike between Windsor Salt's parent company and its employees has taken a dark turn.
According to a release Tuesday evening, talks between the two sides have "collapsed", despite reports that an agreement may have been near.
"This past weekend, through intensive discussions, the Union [Unifor] and Windsor Salt appeared to have reached an agreement on nearly all outstanding proposals," read the release from Stone Canyon Industries, the parent company of Windsor Salt. "The parties were discussing plans to end the strike and resume operations. On Monday afternoon, abruptly and surprisingly, Unifor Local 1959 reversed course and reneged on its agreement to certain critical issues. As a result of these regressive events, negotiations have again stalled."
Almost 250 employees at the west Windsor mine, represented by Unifor Locals 1959 and 240, walked off the job on February 17 following an inability to reach a new contract. Wages and outsourcing have been sticking points. The impasse has gained international attention, with Unifor's national leadership and local politicians showing support for the workers.
Stone Canyon said they believed the latest offer on the table was fair, and they were confident it would have ended the 132-day labour stoppage.
"Skilled trades workers currently earning $45.24 per hour would end the contract earning $51.84 per hour," read the release. "A highly skilled production worker would start the contract earning $45.84 per hour and end the contract earning $49.84. In addition to these generous wages, the company offered significant bonus opportunities, various wage premium increases, and maintenance of regular cost-of-living wage adjustments as a hedge against inflation. The company offered these and other improvements in exchange for needed operational changes."
Unifor members have accused Stone Canyon of employing union-busting techniques by allowing additional contract work, a charge the company has denied.
Local 1959 President Bill Wark told WindsorNewsToday.ca three weeks ago that progress had been slow, but there had been a lack of in-person talks.
"The face-to-face bargaining hasn't occurred since March and it is a tremendously poor way of trying to achieve a fair and equitable collective agreement," said Wark at the time.