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Windsor Salt suspends negotiations with union after worker attacked by people wearing masks, carrying bats

Police in Windsor, Ont., are investigating after three people wearing masks and armed with baseball bats broke into a salt mine and attacked an employee — and the company said it’s suspending negotiations with its union as a result.

It’s also offering a $50,000 reward for anyone who brings information to police that leads to the arrest and prosecution of the attackers.

The incident happened at Windsor Salt Ltd.’s Ojibway mine facility shortly after midnight on April 26, according to the company.

“The armed trespassers brutally ambushed one of Windsor Salt’s employees, striking him repeatedly with the bats,” it said in a press release. “Windsor Police have opened a case in their major crimes unit to investigate the incident. Fortunately, the victim’s injuries are not life threatening, and he is expected to make a full recovery. In light of this despicable and unprovoked criminal action, the Company is suspending further negotiations with the Union.”

The company said it had “remained silent” out of respect for the bargaining process to this point, but said there have been “repeated mischaracterizations by the union and others as to the company’s intentions at the bargaining table. In light of last night’s abhorrent attack, the Company believes it is time to set the record straight on certain issues.”

First, it has never been the company’s intention to eliminate union jobs through subcontracting, it said.

“The company’s proposals limit the… use of outside contractors to supplementing the current work force when its union workers do not have the skills or availability to do certain kinds of work,” it said. “The company’s proposals expressly state that(it) will not use contractors to eliminate union jobs. Any suggestion to the contrary is false.”

Second, the company said it has been bargaining in good faith from the start of the process.

“The company’s sole goal in bargaining is to operate a safe and competitive business that will continue to provide good, high-paying union jobs into the future,” it said. “Until now, the company believed it was making slow but steady progress at the table.”