Many questions have been left unanswered about what the potential merger between fertilizer giants Agrium Inc. and Potash Corporation of Saskatchewan Inc. mean for the companies’ workers, says a union representative responsible for 1,500 employees between the two corporations.  

“We knew nothing of it,” Stephen Hunt, United Steelworkers’ director for Western Canada, told BNN in an interview. “We saw the potential merger in the media like everybody else did. We’ve contacted the companies and asked them for information. They’re not disclosing anything to us at this time, so we’re really not sure what this means.”

Calgary-based Agrium and Saskatoon-based PotashCorp confirmed Tuesday that they are in preliminary talks to merge.  

“We’re cautious when these things happen because oftentimes companies – they don’t merge because it’s good for their workers, they merge because it’s good for their shareholders generally,” Hunt said.

Saskatchewan Premier Brad Wall seems to be hopeful about what the possible merger could mean for his province – including more job opportunities— and was “grateful” to speak with Agrium CEO Chuck Magro and PotashCorp CEO Jochen Tilk about the potential deal.

“Both of them indicated to me – and it was good to hear this – that the interests of Saskatchewan have been at the forefront of even these preliminary discussions,” Wall told reporters Tuesday.

While Wall has spoken to both companies, Hunt said that the premier “isn’t talking to [the union] much.”

Hunt said he wrote a letter to both Agrium and PotashCorp Wednesday, asking them to meet face-to-face in hopes of getting some answers.

“I’m troubled because I think it would have been appropriate for both companies to give us a heads up – to explain to us what this potentially means,” Hunt said.