RCMP investigate after N.B. Power truck pushes striking worker at Base Gagetown

A video circulating on social media Friday shows a striking federal worker on the picket line at Base Gagetown getting pushed by an N.B. Power utility truck.

RCMP confirmed the incident took place on the Broad Road in Oromocto.

The video shows striking defence workers, members of the Public Service Alliance of Canada, crossing the road when the truck starts honking its horn and moving forward, grazing one individual, who stumbles out of the way. 

The truck, which is pulling a trailer, then pulls up to a man in the middle of the road and pushes him forward.

The man throws his flag up at the windshield of the truck as it continues to push him. The video shows the man move out of the way and the truck continues on.

About 155,000 federal public servants went on strike beginning on April 19, affecting about 30 government departments and a range of federal services across Canada. 

The Union of National Defence Employees is one of the largest components of PSAC. The employees it represents include labourers and people working in skilled trades, administrative services, cleaning and food services, and as technicians, computer programmers and engineers, according to the union's website.

Daniel Frost, a strike captain with Local 60303 Gagetown and the union's national vice-president for Newfoundland, Labrador and New Brunswick, said he was at the main gate where the truck originally turned into the base.

He said he initially didn't think much of it. The driver was honking, but Frost wasn't sure if it was in support of the strike or not.

Police confirmed that there were no physical injuries at the scene, but Frost said people were "shook up."

"I consider that an injury," he said.

"The stress levels on the line, and especially when you don't know whether you're going to get run over … it's pretty high. And then when you see incidents like this, it's pretty scary for the picketers."

In an email statement to CBC News, N.B. Power spokesperson Dominique Couture said the utility is aware of the incident at the base.