Unions across Windsor-Essex are showing their support for striking salt mine workers in Goderich.
Unifor Local 195 President John Toth says he and other union members made the drive to Huron County to support the unionized workers at Compass Minerals.
They've been on the picket line since April 27th.
Toth says the Kansas-based company has started to bring in replacement workers. "The company has been bringing in replacement workers from out of province to go in and do the mine workers work, created a lot of tensions as you can imagine," says Toth.
A wooden-pallet barricade was set up last week to block the replacement workers from entering the mine but it was removed after a court order was issued.
Toth says the strike has impacted the Goderich community.
"People have lawn signs on their lawn, the neighbours saying they support the workers, local businesses have been donating food," he says. "Even though this is has affected the entire town. We're talking about a major employer with almost 400 hourly employees. So it's affected the town and the businesses in town but they're making donations of goods and services to help out the strikers."
The number one issue in the dispute is mandatory overtime.
"This is what the company wants 60 a week on a weekly basis plus over and above that they want to be able to have them work 72 hours every fourth week an additional 12 hours and that is just not acceptable to the members," says Toth. "This is 2018, this is not dark ages labour camp. It's absolutely ridiculous."
The two sides will head back to the bargaining table on Thursday for the first time since the labour dispute started.