In an open letter to farmers issued Thursday, Unifor 594 said that they will be disrupting farmers’ fuel supplies during seeding to try and end the months-long dispute.
President of the Agricultural Producers Association of Saskatchewan, Todd Lewis says he is disappointed with Unifor’s decision.
“Farmer’s don’t want to be dragged into the middle of a labour dispute, we certainly don’t want to see the labour dispute end up inserting itself in the middle of spring seeding,” said Lewis. “With this letter, it seems to signal that they want to disrupt farming and disrupt spring seeding. We’re disappointed and sure hoping that cooler heads prevail.”
Lewis adds that any delays during seeding could result in a delay in harvest, and after last year’s tough harvest, many farmers are still trying to recover financially.
Lewis says that farmers aren’t taking sides in the dispute, adding that there isn’t any reason to target farmers during seeding.
“There’s no rhyme or reason to where they think they’re going to have benefited from disrupting seeding operations,” said Lewis. “Farmers will be deeply disappointed and frustrated if they have to have delays to get their fuel this important time of year.”
Many producers in Saskatchewan rely on their local Co-op Cardlock for their fuel, and Lewis says that if those are blocked, it could delay seeding by hours.
“The Cardlock system has worked so well for farmers in the past, and will continue to do so,” said Lewis. “It’s not a matter of convenience, to go to another Co-op Cardlock would be hours of lost time, and farmers don’t have time this time of year to be messing around trying to find a source of fuel.”
Lewis says that APAS is not asking for government intervention in the situation, rather hoping that Co-op backtracks on their decision.
“It’s not incumbent on anyone, we’re not asking anybody to step in, or step out,” said Lewis. “Just leave the cardlocks alone, and let farmers go about their business.”
In Unifor’s letter, they say that they don’t want to delay farmers, but they feel they have no other choice.
