In a press release posted on MUSA's Web site on Tuesday,
March 13, the MUSA negotiating team advises that its
representatives council today approved paying strike benefits to
its picketers and other volunteers. A sub-committee is working
on final details, expected Thursday, the team states.

According to the release, the union can make these payments
because of about $1 million in donations and lines of credit
from a variety of national and local unions.

“We are very grateful for this support,” said MUSA president Barry
Diacon in the release. “Our members deserve strike pay and we
hope to be
able to sort it out soon.”

The Hamilton Spectator reported in today's issue (March
13) that Ontario Public Service Employees Union president
Leah Casselman visited MUSA's picket lines yesterday and
brought with her a cheque for $500,000.

Diacon told the Spectator that “OPSEU's interest-free
loan, combined with a $50,000 line of credit from CUPE and
cash from other unions, means MUSA can now afford strike pay.”

(Editor's note: We are unable to provide a link to the
newspaper article since it is not available online.)