The MPP for Windsor West says she was shocked to learn of the news that workers at Windsor Salt Ojibway Mine had been laid off indefinitely.
Employees were told not to report to work Tuesday morning. A Morton Salt spokesperson stating a key factor to the layoff decision was unfavourable weather conditions leading to soft customer demand.
Lisa Gretzky says she's been told the same thing from union leadership.
"Indeed weather related. We haven't had a particularly rough winter so there wasn't the demand that there normally would be for the road salt and the agriculture salt. And I'm hoping that is really the case. The workers are feeling like they will get back to work very quickly. That is not some sort of retaliation from the company."
In August, 2023, about 250 workers, represented by Unifor locals 1959 and 240 signed a collective agreement with the company, which is owned by Los Angeles-based Stone Canyon Industries.
Prior to ratifying that five-year agreement, workers were on strike for 192 days.
Gretzky says everyone is prepared should they learn of possible retaliation by the company...
"The workers, the union that represents them and myself are prepared, that if that is not the case, if we find out that this is something the company is trying to retaliate for the strike then we will take action and we will speak up about that."
She says she's talked to a couple workers who she says are understanding of the current situation.
"That because of the lack of winter conditions, I don't want to jinx it and all of a sudden we get a snow fall, but they understand that if the demand is not there, but their hope is that they will be back to work very very quickly."
The company says idling the mine means production will end and the site will transition into a “maintenance and care” status.
Unifor, the union that represents the mine workers, is in discussions with the company that owns Windsor Salt to find out exactly how many workers will be laid off and for how long.
-With files from AM800's Rob Hindi and CTV Windsor