On Day 46 of the lockout at the Co-Op refinery, Regina police have taken the national president of the union, representing almost 700 workers, at the facility into custody.

Late Monday afternoon, police arrested Jerry Dias and several others. The move came as police tried to have the union respect a court injunction issued last month. That injunction said those in the picket line could hold up traffic going into the refinery for 10 minutes to explain their stance and if the person looking to enter didn’t wish to hear the message, he was entitled to move on.

Earlier Monday, Unifor Canada announce they were taking over the blockade outside of the Co-op Refinery in Regina from Unifor Local 594.

Unifor National President Jerry Dias says a court order limiting the picket line’s ability to impede traffic only applies to Unifor Local 594 and not the national union.

Dias had decreed that no fuel trucks will leave or enter the refinery and that scabs and managers that are in facility can leave, but they won’t be able to re-enter.

The union says they’re ramping up efforts to get Co-op back to bargaining table.

The bone of contention which led to workers being locked out is pension.

Kevin Bittman, President of Unifor Local 594 says their fight is an important one not only for their local members, but for members across Canada.

“We are here today because the Co-op has chosen a path of acting like a greedy corporation. During a time of sustained record profit, three million dollars a day isn’t enough for them and they want to gut my pension.”

Unifor says they will continue to boycott Co-op. Last month, the union began airing television ads urging people to boycott Co-op in addition to billboards that have been placed in western Canadian cities with the same message. (with files from CKRM)

.