The 140th Canadian National Exhibition is now officially open to the public — but a labour dispute may leave you making a choice on whether to cross the picket line.

The new attraction at the CNE which opens today:picket lines. About 400 stagehands/technical workers are locked out including these two creative guys. Watch my quick interview: pic.twitter.com/8Tl6z2HHT9

— carl hanstke (@carl680) August 17, 2018

More than 400 technical workers remain locked out of Toronto's Exhibition Place as of Friday morning at 10 a.m., when this year's CNE officially kicked off, and they're not letting people pass quietly through the Princes' Gates.

Picket lines are in place, as promised, and protesters won't be moving aside until an ongoing labour dispute between Exhibition Place and its unionized stagehands is resolved.

Strength in numbers......and rodent size. END THIS LOCKOUT. @ExPlaceTO @JohnTory #58lockedout #notgoingaway #toronto #jobs #rally #unions pic.twitter.com/A1FuCsEka8

— Patty Pedersen (@PattyPedersen75) August 17, 2018

Members of International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees (IATSE) Local 58, which represents workers with technical and staging expertise at Exhibition Place, were locked out by the venue's board of governors on July 20 after what both sides say was a month-long collective bargaining process.

Locked out workers vowed at the time that they would form picket lines at the entrance to this year's exhibition, and warned that the safety of guests could be jeopardized without their expertise.

Things got even more intense after The Ex brought in workers from Quebec to fill their roles.

Hold on...the CNE has locked out the stage/technical engineers/labourers - skilled workers who set up the rides/stages for shows like the aerial acrobatics and instead brought in cheap labour from Quebec to do this?? Is this not a safety concern @LetsGoToTheEX? #cne #cnestrike https://t.co/LrSdXbUasH

— Abundance Naturally (@AbunNatural) August 17, 2018

Public support for the union remains high, but many vendors and guests are nonetheless crossing picket lines today — in some cases, just to do their jobs.

Protests are making it hard for cars to get into The Ex, costing vendors time and money as they wait in gridlock traffic.

"There's a demonstration at the south end of the [29 Dufferin] route which along with CNE traffic is causing some congestion headaches," wrote the TTC's customer service account on Twitter in response to someone complaining about transit delays. "I'm sorry about that."

Opening day of @LetsGoToTheEX. @iatse58 is here in full force as the CNE continues to rely on scab labour. #58LockedOut #TOpoli #CNE2018 pic.twitter.com/HfESQzZ49C

— Flying Squad (@UofTFlyingSquad) August 17, 2018

A giant rat that demonstrators are calling "Scabby" has become a mascot, of sorts, for the picketers.

The blow-up animal even made a rather comical appearance during this morning's opening ceremony outside the CNE by popping up behind such dignitaries as Toronto Mayor John Tory and Ontario Premier Doug Ford on stage.

Scabby the rat is watching you @JohnTory! Please just put an end to this and end the #explaceTO lockout of #IATSE58 #58LockedOut #strongertogether pic.twitter.com/StgxOTt5wu

— Gus&Lilly (@GUSandLILLY) August 17, 2018

"Management is demanding that Local 58 surrender its longstanding jurisdiction at Exhibition Place so that 'replacement' workers can take Toronto jobs and leave town when they are done," reads a letter of explanation on IATSE's website.

"Local 58 says it would be impossible to negotiate away its members’ jobs. We have been willing, however, to bargain in good faith around other contractual issues, such as compensation and work rules."

Someone left this newspaper on the seat of a GOTrain, so I made sure to make some improvements. #58LockedOut #NoCNE4Me #LetsNOTGoToTheEx #BoycottCNE pic.twitter.com/T2RWETQz6y

— Jon C (@JonCunningham) August 17, 2018

"Management has refused to talk about these matters until the union abandons its members and devastates their families," the letter continues.

And so, a legal picket line has been set up around the entrances to Toronto's Exhibition Place, where they will remain throughout the two-and-a-half-week-long marquee event.

"We'd rather be negotiating, as we have for more than 60 years," says the union. "But Mayor John Tory's hand-picked Board has said no. We ask for understanding and support from our fellow Torontonians."

We appreciate @IATSE very much and depend on collaboration for our concerts and festival shows. Feeling badly for @iatse58 and their families, hope everyone finds a successful resolution very soon. ✊🏼 #safeworkplace #supportworkersrights https://t.co/cHFqjHWTfD

— Bif Naked (@bifnaked) August 17, 2018

The CNE runs until September 3. Here are the things that you can eat, if you choose to cross the picket line.