Officials with Unifor say they will comply with a call by the federal government to attend mediation talks between the union and management of the St. Lawrence Seaway.

In a statement Unifor says it will also continue to support its members on the picket line while talks take place.

“Our goal remains to achieve a fair and reasonable collective agreement for those who work along the St. Lawrence Seaway. We strive to also make sure our members, their rights and collective agreement are respected by the corporation.”

More than 250 workers with five locals in Ontario and Quebec hit the picket lines Saturday following a 72 hour strike notice issued late last week.

The strike has impacted 13 of the 15 locks along the route, which handles more than 200 million tonnes of cargo each year.