Another strike by members of the Grain Services Union despite a threat from Viterra to lock out employees that hit the picket lines. The GSU's Hugh Wagner says a handful of people walked off the job at the Balgonie plant Thursday morning.

"It's a mixture of people from the head office bargaining unit as well as the country operations and maintenance bargaining unit. We've asked Viterra not to proceed with the hiring of replacement workers and unfortunately they haven't agreed to our request. This is, if you will a modest step up in our activity to indicate we're going to increase pressure until we get a settlement". However, a Viterra spokesperson says employees crossed the picket lines and the plant is up and running as usual.

Wagner tells us his team has actually talked with their employer this week. "We did have a mediation meeting yesterday and the meeting was useful. We exchanged some important information and points of view on a variety of the issues in the dispute. We have made efforts or overtures to find a compromise and I believe that company management is considering and reflecting on what we had to say to them and we expect to hear back from them".