Workers feeling the pinch as Windsor Salt strike stretches on
Now in its fourth month, the strike at Windsor Salt is having an impact on workers, who are making $300 a week in strike pay.
"I know stories of people with solo incomes that are putting mortgages on hold, doing what they can, working if they have to. You got to make ends meet," said Collin Clarke, who is among 250 Windsor Salt workers on strike since Feb. 17.
Worker Sean Smith says he and his partner have had to cut back on many things since the strike began.
"I've had to sell some of my stuff and we've had to reconsider a lot of plans we've had and you know, renovations on the house and things we'd like to do," said Smith.
While this strike has not gone on as long as a salt mine strike in the 90s, which according one worker went on for six months, it has surpassed the 2009 CUPE strike involving city of Windsor workers.
Unifor Local 240 president Jodi Nesbitt says the company is only talking "remotely" through its lawyer and talks are moving slowly.
"Things are not going as quick as we would like and we hope that that changes because we know that our membership, they want to get back to work. They they want a deal. They want a respectable deal and that's all we're asking," said Nesbitt.
Nesbitt says the face-to-face talks haven't resumed since an incident in April where a worker was assaulted at the Ojibway mine.
In a previous statement, Windsor Salt also alleged that there have been "repeated mischaracterizations by the union and others" about the labour talks, but did not provide specifics in their statement.
The company declined an interview request by CBC News at the time.
While Steve Salmons, the CEO of the Windsor Port Authority, feels for the workers and says their concerns are more important, he confirms the strike is also having a financial impact on the port.
"They typically ship out approximately two million tons a year by ship to municipalities across the Great Lakes, both American and Canadian," said Salmons, adding that amounts to 40 per cent of the port's business per year.
"It's significant revenues to us."
Salmons says he wants to see the workers get a deal and get back to work.
"I'm deeply concerned for these families and these workers," said Salmons.
Nesbitt says local unions and others have been coming together to support the workers with donations to help them out.
"Grocery cards and stuff like that. We've had the Ontario Regional Council for Unifor, they donated fifty dollars to every member for groceries. We have the generosity of some people that aren't even affiliated, like we have retirees that are growing gardens and offering those gardens to bring home to plant in their own gardens," she said.
Meanwhile, Salmons said the shipping industry itself isn't hurting because of the strike. It has been able to replace the salt shipments with other commodities such as wheat and iron ore. But he cautions if the strike goes on too long, the shipping companies might be too busy shipping those goods and won't have room for the salt.
"It may not be possible to find sufficient shipping to deliver the salt that communities around the Great Lakes are going to need and want for winter control," said Salmons.
He said a ship tried to get a shipment out a few weeks ago but was blocked by boaters trying to prevent the ship from leaving. Salmons says the harbour master was able to break up the blockade but it was decided not to try to bring in any other ships because it was too dangerous.
