STaTe of THe union: an uPDaTe on unifoR neGoTiaTionS in THe PoTaSH SeCToR in SaSKaTCHeWan

By Lana Payne, national President of unifor

Unifor is Canada’s largest union representing workers in the private sector, and one of the largest unions in Saskatchewan’s potash sector. It represents workers at both the Mosaic mine in Esterhazy and the Nutrien mine in Lanigan.

The province’s potash sector accounts for approximately 11 per cent of Saskatchewan’s GDP, supporting thousands of direct and indirect jobs.

According to the Saskatchewan government, potash production and the value of sales both set new records last year, reaching 14.4 million tonnes and $18 billion respectively.

The collective agreements signed between Unifor and potash companies in Saskatchewan are a key tool for sharing the tremendous wealth generated by extraction. Unifor wages and benefits drive local economies, especially in rural regions, and help form the template for mining agreements across the province.

One of those agreements was ratified on February 14, 2023 by Unifor Local 892, which represents more than 750 Mosaic workers.

Despite strong profits that more than doubled to $3.6 billion in 2022, Mosaic did not make it easy to reach a new agreement. A provincial mediator was called in (without much success) and the local conducted a strike vote in January. But with a few late-night sessions, the parties found enough common ground to sign a four-year contract. The new agreement contains 11.5 per cent wage increases over the term. It includes an eight-week maternity leave top-up, increases to the employer’s contribution to pension plans, and paid domestic violence leave. Going forward, the unit will have three employer-sponsored Women’s Advocate positions.

The next contract coming due in the potash sector is for the 430 workers at the Lanigan mine. Like their fellow members in Esterhazy, Local 922 members at the Nutrien mine worked throughout the pandemic to keep the domestic industry afloat.

On the heels of the COVID-19 crisis, the war in Ukraine has reshaped the potash sector by imperilling potash production in Eastern Europe and driving prices to their highest levels ever. In 2023, the work done by Saskatchewan’s potash miners is arguably more important now than ever.

With their product in demand unlike ever before, Canadian potash companies are making record profits. But it is not automatically a windfall to working people in Saskatchewan. While some royalties and taxes will flow into provincial government coffers, it is critical that these record profits be reflected in the industry’s wages and benefits.

Collective bargaining is workers’ democratic framework for leveling the playing field with their employer. Later this year Unifor members at Nutrien will demand their fair share of the profits that they’ve had a key role in generating. If they’re successful, it’s a win for miners, the Lanigan community, and Saskatchewan workers. l

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