The President of Unifor Local 240 is calling a tentative deal with Windsor Salt 'a sigh of relief' after nearly 250 unionized workers have been on the picket line for five months.
Jodi Nesbitt is reacting to the news that a tentative agreement has been signed between Windsor Salt and the bargaining committee representing members of Unifor Local 1959 and 240.
Unifor announced the tentative agreement Thursday evening, and the ratification vote is set to take place on Wednesday, July 26.
The union began legal strike action on February 17.
Nesbitt says that the two sides had been meeting virtually, however they met in Toronto this week with a mediator to discuss a deal in person.
She says she's excited about this news.
"We've been out for five months now, so, we absolutely have been fighting to the very end and making sure that all issues were looked at."
She says it was nice to have a mediator during negotiations.
"I think it helped, but it also helped being in the same location actually talking about some of the issues."
Nesbitt says she's grateful to the community.
"Thank you so much for all you've done to lift our spirits and to stand beside us throughout this very lengthy strike. And we're hoping that there's time to give back once this is ratified that we can celebrate our community."
This round of bargaining is the first since Windsor Salt was purchased by Stone Canyon Industries in 2021, a U.S-based private holding firm.
Unifor Local 240 represents the office workers and Local 1959 represents workers at the Ojibway Mine and a separate unit at the evaporation processing fields.
More information and details will be provided following the ratification vote.
-with files from AM800's Rob Hindi