Ironworkers Local 97 is calling for an immediate end to the lockout of workers at the Heidelberg Materials cement plant in Delta. 

In a show of solidarity, Local 97 has donated $20,000 to the Boilermakers Local D-277 strike fund to support workers who have been supporting their families on minimal strike pay. 

Boilermakers members have been locked out since January after the company pushed for contract concessions that would undermine job security and allow the contracting out of critical maintenance work. In the months since the lockout began, Heidelberg Materials has attempted to continue operations by importing cement from other facilities, a move the union has challenged as an unfair labour practice.

“Enough is enough. It’s time for Heidelberg Materials to respect their workers, go back to the bargaining table and get a fair deal,” said Ironworkers Local 97 business manager Doug Parton. “B.C.’s labour movement should not tolerate the kind of union-busting we’ve been seeing for the past six months.”

Heidelberg Materials is a multinational building materials company headquartered in Heidelberg, Germany. According to its own reports, the company made a profit of $5 billion (CAD) in 2024. 

“It seems as though Heidelberg Materials is more interested in adding to their billions in profits than supporting Metro Vancouver families with fair wages,” said Parton. “It’s shameful that a highly profitable company is so focused on squeezing every possible penny from its workers.”

The Heidelberg Materials Delta plant is a key supplier of cement for Metro Vancouver’s construction projects and has been largely idle since the lockout began. Impacts on the local supply chain have been significant, especially as the busy construction season begins.