The CEO of Highbury Canco wants to be clear. His company is not hiring scab workers. It's not hiring them at a higher wage than striking workers. It's not trying to bust the union.
Sam Diab reacted to comments made by Windsor West MPP Lisa Gretzky in the Ontario Legislature on Wednesday.
While making a statement about ongoing strikes at The Windsor Salt Mine and the Leamington plant, Gretzky levelled the accusation at Highbury Canco.
"Their employer is busing in replacement workers, scabs, paying them more than the permanent workers, and offering them benefits," she said. "Union busting."
Diab responded, "the last thing we're looking to do is union bust. We want to have our workers back. We want to have our workers back and represented by the UFCW."
He admits the company is hiring new employees but said the process started before the labour dispute, and some have voluntarily crossed the picket line. However, he rejects the term "scab" to describe them.
Ten days ago, about 400 members of the United Food and Commercial Workers Union Local 175 walked off the job in a dispute over wages.
"Our members are looking for significant wage improvements, which they deserve," said UFCW Local 175 Regional Director Sam Caetano when the workers rejected the company's last offer. "These workers held strong and worked hard throughout the difficulties of the last several years, and they are taking a stand for better compensation and respect."
Diab said Highbury Canco's compensation is competitive. The starting wage, he said, is $19.14 an hour. For lift truck drivers and machine operators, it's $20.48.
"What we would rather do is consolidate our business slightly and make sure that this place is competitive and viable for all of our union members and non-union members versus agreeing to wages that make us uncompetitive and start heading us towards the path of layoffs and closures," he explained.
As of Thursday morning, neither side has requested a return to bargaining.
