In a sudden escalation of a waterfront labour conflict on Canada’s West Coast, the B.C. Maritime Employers Association (BCMEA) today announced that, starting Monday morning, it will “defensively” lock out more than 700 foremen in response to a strike notice served by the International Longshore and Warehouse Union (ILWU) Local 514. It will not affect grain shipping or cruise operations.
The union had previously attempted to strike at DP World’s facilities but was blocked last July by the Canada Industrial Relations Board which ruled “illegal” the singling out of a single operator in a collective contract dispute.
The looming work stoppage will affect some 30 port terminals, including those at Vancouver, Canada’s largest port, and Prince Rupert. A 13-day coast-wise industrial action in July 2023 froze an estimated $10 billion in foreign trade.
Reacting to the BCMEA decision, Local 514 President Frank Morena said the union had only planned to “engage in limited job action” through an overtime ban and a refusal to implement tech change. He affirmed that the employers “completely overreacted” by threatening a “full-scale lockout” and represented an “attempt to force the federal government to intervene in the dispute.”
An overtime ban pressure tactic has been implemented since October by the union representing Montreal longshoremen who launched an “indefinite” strike yesterday against Termont, which operates two container terminals.
“Our members have repeatedly tried since our contract expired on March 31, 2023, to bargain a new contract without any job action but the BCMEA employers have refused to move and now want to create a crisis instead of negotiating,” Mr. Morena said, alleging that the employers have been refusing to bargain on major issues such as manning requirements.
A BCMEA statement declared that the lockout is meant to “facilitate a safe and orderly wind-down of operations” in light of “escalating and unpredictable strike action.”
“We did not arrive to this decision lightly. This regretful action follows thorough consideration of ILWU Local 514’s continued intransigence and their provocative decision to proceed with another strike notice, despite being found to have been bargaining in bad faith on three occasions.”
The parties met this week with the assistance of federal mediators. The BCMEA said it was “deeply disappointed that ILWU Local 514 came to mediation at this late stage of bargaining, with proposals and positions that took bargaining backwards, and thus further from achieving a collective agreement.
On Wednesday the BCMEA provided a balanced and competitive final offer to ILWU Local 514. If accepted, it will provide all forepersons with significant gains in wages and benefits without concession requests from employers. The final offer includes a 19.2% wage increase, which would enhance the median foreperson compensation from $246,323 to $293,617 annually, not including benefits and pension. On average, eligible workers would receive a cumulative lump sum payment of approximately $21,000, inclusive of signing bonus and retroactive pay increases back to April 2023. Subject to the date of acceptance, the BCMEA will agree to accelerate and pay retroactivity and the signing bonus in full to each member by mid-December.”
(Photo of Port of Vancouver)
