'Stay the hell out of the media': Striking Windsor Salt workers rally outside Windsor City Hall

Union members, politicians and the community came out Thursday for a rally outside Windsor City Hall in support of Windsor Salt Workers who have been on strike for more than four months.

“We're in for the long haul,” said Chris Ward, an electrician for 23 years at Ojibway Salt Mine. I'm prepared to stay out for as long as it takes.”

Ward and 250 other workers at Windsor Salt have been on the picket lines for 134 days.

They’re waiting for Windsor Salt owners Stone Canyon industries and their union, Unifor, to come to a fair and equitable collective agreement.

“We’ve got a bunch of good guys. The comraderie is good, it keeps us united, keeps us strong,” Ward said.

But union leaders admit the time on the line is wearing some thin.

“They’re starting to feel the strain, it’s a long time, over four months, it’s hard,” said Bill Wark, the president of Unifor local 1959. “I’ve got to give the folks credit, they’re holding up incredibly well given the extenuating circumstances.”

Wark says some workers have had to take different jobs to pay their bills, noting the $300 they receive from Unifor each week is not enough to keep them afloat.

A handful of guest speakers took to the podium to deliver a message to the company.

“Stay the hell out of the media,” shouted former Unifor national president, Ken Lewenza to rounds of applause. “Get back to the bargaining table and resolve the issues and get our members back to work where they can contribute.”

Earlier this week, Windsor Salt issued a release saying their goal is to modernize its labour agreements to preserve good, high paying jobs well into the future.

The company said it offered “significant wage increases” and says under no circumstances has Windsor Salt proposed to utilize contractors to eliminate union jobs.

“Anything the company says is a lie,” said Ward, noting membership isn’t buying the company line.

Unifor national president Lana Payne says by bargainning through the media, the company is trying to get between union membership and its leadership, but said the alleged tactic won’t work.

“Leave your goddamn union busting tactics south of the border because we don't welcome them here,” said Unifor national president Lana Payne.

The company says parties were on the verge of an agreement over the weekend, but talks have once again stalled and no new negotiations have been scheduled.

The union won’t respond to those claims.

“We’re not committed to bargaining in the media,” said Ward.