The International Longshore and Warehouse Union Canada (ILWU Canada) announced today it will recommend the terms of a tentative deal with the British Colombia Maritime Employers Association to its membership at a meeting on Tuesday. The union leadership made the announcement after holding aa emergency meeting this Friday morning to determine whether to submit the tentative deal to the ILWU’s 7,400 members.
This latest development comes in the wake of several weeks of strike actions and a crisis meeting held in Ottawa late Wednesday by Prime Minister Trudeau. The latter reviewed what steps could be taken – including back-to-work legislation – to halt two weeks of strikes (July 1-13) at 30 ports severely harming the Canadian economy and the country’s major Pacific gateways of Vancouver and Prince Rupert.
A majority vote of union members accepting the tentative new collective agreement would end the conflict.
In a tweet, Federal Labour Minister Seamus O’Regan thanked the union for sending the terms to its membership after an “emergency” meeting earlier Friday.
“Right now, B.C. ports are operating, but we need long-term stability,” the minister said.
Work resumed at ports across B.C. on Thursday, as ILWU Canada workers returned to their jobs following brief strike action on Tuesday that was qualified as “illegal” by the Canada Industrial Relations Board.
(Photo Port of Vancouver)
