TRENTON -- If JB Field's has fired unionized striking workers, as reported Wednesday, it was news to the women on the picket line Thursday.

It's a station the more than 50 unionized pickets have walked for the past six months, before learning through news reports Thursday, that they were effectively fired by their employer.

"The company hasn't told us a thing so here we are and we'll stay," said picket Rhonda Turk. "We just have to assume we're still here (as employees)."

Bipin Khimasia, chairman of the board of the Trenton sock manufacturer operating in the plant formerly run by Vagden Mills, said the company used the province's new labour legislation to fire the workers. Revised sections of the Labour Relations Act permit employers to fire workers after six months in a strike and after the employer has met provisions of Section 80 of the Act.

Bob McLelland, of the Ontario Ministry of Labour, said Thursday the company, in order to comply with legislation, "has to file with the employment standards office. We'll check that first and work from there."

He confirmed the ministry is investigating all aspects of the JB Field's firing, noting it is likely the first time any company in Ontario has taken advantage of the new legislation to end strikes.

"We're not aware of any others. There may have been, but we're not aware of them."

Turk and pickets on the line Thursday in Trenton said they've not worked in six months and are dispirited only at the "attitude of the company."

"All of us are veterans of this place," she said, jerking a thumb toward the plant that continues to operate using replacement workers and others who have crossed the picket line from union ranks.

Seven pickets spoke with The Intelligencer and, among them, none had less than 10 years of experience on the production line at the sock factory and most had more than 20 years on the job.

"(New Democratic Party leader) Howard Hampton has been around to tell us, 'Stiff upper lip,' and all that," said Turk. "But we're the Guinea pigs in this thing."

Figures released by the company this week said 38 workers were fired using the Labour Act legislation. However, pickets said they have more than 50 unionized workers off the job.