Hudbay is seeking a court injunction to compel striking tradespeople to comply with a picket protocol agreement, claiming union members have breached the terms at least three dozen times.
The company filed for the injunction in the Manitoba Court of Queen’s Bench on Friday afternoon, more than three months into IAM Local 1848’s strike.
“Our employees and contractors deserve and have the legal right to enter and exit their work place safely and without excessive delays or intimidation by picketers,” Rob Winton, vice-president, Manitoba Business Unit for Hudbay, told The Reminder in a statement. “With the right to strike, comes the responsibility to act lawfully and honour signed commitments. IAM is not, and all we have asked is that they do.”
Winton said that between May 12, the day IAM signed the protocol agreement, and August 7, the union violated the terms more than 35 times.
Whereas IAM agreed to delay vehicles entering Hudbay property no more than five minutes each, and no more than 30 minutes for any vehicle in a lineup, Winton said some delays have been as long as 9.5 to 10.5 hours.
He wrote that picketers have thrown rocks, used homophobic slurs and profanity, and told contractors they know where those individuals live.
Winton further wrote that IAM established an illegal picket line on Highway 395 at the Lalor mine access road, with verbal threats made against security personnel.
His statement did not identify any individual by name. He said the company has video evidence to back up its claims.
IAM could not provide a comment at the time this article went online. The Reminder will continue to follow this story online and in print, with the full story in our Wednesday, August 19 print edition.
