Man on picket line hit by vehicle in front of Saskatoon Co-op

A spokesperson for the United Food and Commercial Workers says a man who was picketing was sent to hospital Thursday night after he was hit by a vehicle.

The picketing workershad set up in front of the Saskatoon Co-op on 33rd Street. A member of the Teamsters union who was walking the pickup in support of striking Co-op workers was hit by a driver trying to get into the gas bar.

"I understand he suffered broken bones and other internal injuries," said UFCW spokesperson Rod Gilles. "He was taken to the hospital by ambulance."

UFCW members have been on strike since Nov. 1. On Thursday, workers staged a day of action, picketing in front of the Federated Co-op headquarters in downtown Saskatoon in the afternoon and the 33rd Street Co-op in the evening.

Saskatoon Co-op picketer hit by vehicle--Ryan Fletcher/PhastPhotographs

6 years ago

Duration 0:53

Saskatoon Co-op picketer hit by vehicle--Ryan Fletcher/PhastPhotographs

Gillies said safety is always a concern during a strike, especially for those on the picket line.

"We have generated many, many reports on most of our picket sites around Saskatoon of what we're calling near misses," he said. "They seem to be targets of some of the drivers that are angry going through some of the entrances way faster than they should."

Workers went on strike over a proposed two-tiered wage structure, where newly hired people would have been put on a different contract with lower pay and fewer benefits.

Police are investigating what happened.