Monday's talks between Husky Energy and United Steelworkers Local 624 were described today to Your News Now as a quote, "step backward" by union president Mike Edelbrock.
The two sides met for only 2 hours before talks broke off.
Edelbrock says the verbal agreement they believe they had with Husky on the so-called 'extra board pool" reached on Friday has gone by the wayside.
He says what was said on Friday changed Monday and the union would not sign off on it.
Edelbrock says the board pool is extra workers assigned to units.
He says the company wants to move those people around, the union wants them assigned to a specific unit.
Edelbrock says it's a safety issue.
He says they were close to agreeing to the moving assignments on a trial basis, but the company insisted on the movement being permanent.
That ended the agreement.
Edelbrock says the union made 3 proposals Monday, all were rejected.
He says they can not take individual issues back to the members for a vote, they need a package deal.
Husky spokesman Mel Duvall's only comment Monday was they want to get their employees back to work and will talk again with the union this week.
The two sides have agreed to talk again Wednesday morning.
