The Husky strike has taken another turn.
Husky Energy announced late Monday afternoon, quote, "We are at an impasse".
In an unexpected and surprise move Monday, Husky Energy requested a meeting with the union one day after United Steelworkers local 624 members overwhelmingly rejected a company contract offer.
An offer the company said again Monday was their final offer.
The union voted after the company met national pattern but they said local issues were not met. Union leadership recommended members vote the offer down.
Union president Mike Edelbrock says the company put in a last minute provision that if workers didn't respond to an emergency page within an hour they would be disciplined. Edelbrock says that amounts to house arrest.
The union was not expecting a meeting Monday, they planned on meeting Tuesday. We talked with Edelbrock just before the two o'clock meeting and he may have had a premonition of what was about to happen
Edelbrock told Your News Now late Monday afternoon by phone that he does not believe they are at an impasse. He said that word was never mentioned during Monday's talks. He says the union presented the company a counter proposal and a back-to-work document for them to review and they will wait for their call to meet again.
Company spokesman Mel Duvall said they offered better vacation language and reduced restrictions on shift trades.
He says this impasse means there will be no more meetings, that they've tried everything they could. Asked if the striking workers would be replaced, he said they will evaluate the company's long range plans for moving forward.
