Labour dispute threatens British Columbia ports
The movement of goods through Canada's West Coast ports could slam to a halt in the New Year if a festering labour dispute is not resolved soon.
Workers at British Columbia ports in the Lower Mainland, Vancouver Island and Prince Rupert will be in a position to strike beginning Jan. 2. Port officials say imports and exports of all commodities – save grain, whose shipments are protected by law – will immediately halt if that happens.
"Nothing could move," said one executive close to the talks. "It would affect the entire coast."
Negotiators for the British Columbia Maritime Employers Association and the International Longshore and Warehouse Union have spent the past 60 days working with a pair of conciliators. Those talks were expected to halt Tuesday night, which was set as a pre-established conciliation deadline, but will resume Wednesday morning at 10 a.m. in hopes the two sides can find some resolution.
Stephen Brown, the president of the Chamber of Shipping of British Columbia, expressed confidence that a labour disruption will be avoided.
"I think they recognize that with economic situation as it is right now, to try and shut down or even just disrupt the port is not going to be acceptable, so better not to even go that route," he said. "Unemployment is on the increase throughout North America, so to take a major port down when [workers] have extremely high-paying jobs would be not a smart thing to do."
However, BCMEA President Andy Smith warned that talks are not going well. If a new contract is not signed by this weekend, when cargo bound for the West Coast starts loading in far eastern ports, international shipping lines will begin sending Vancouver-bound shipments elsewhere.
"The significant Canadian and American shippers are saying, 'if you don't' have a deal we're going to have to start to divert now'," Mr. Smith said. "So even if a deal is made between now and the second [of January], there will be as significant diminishing of business hitting the port."
If workers do strike, the political upheaval in Ottawa could worsen an already bad situation. In previous waterfront strikes, the outcry from across the country has forced the federal government to order workers back to work. But with Parliament prorogued until Jan. 27, "we wouldn't have access to Parliament ordering us back until sometime probably in the second week of February," Mr. Smith said.
The 450 ship and dock foremen with ILWU Local 514 have been without a contract since March 31, 2007. Other port workers concluded their negotiations earlier this year. However, they would almost certainly be compelled into a striking position if Local 514 walks off the job, since safety concerns and union solidarity would keep them from working without foremen on site. In total, 5,000 workers would be affected if Local 514 stops work.
A five-week strike beginning in June, 2005 strike by 1,200 Lower Mainland port truckers cost the country an estimated $85-million a day. Another strike, by 800 tug and barge workers in April, 2004, cost tens of millions a day, according to the B.C. government.
The Port of Vancouver alone moves $43-billion worth of goods a year, or $117-million a day.
The current round of labour negotiations has been snagged on contract language surrounding pension payments and working conditions. Mr. Smith faulted the union for presenting a number of letters of understanding this week that rekindled issues thought to have already been resolved.
"I don't think I've ever seen anything quite this egregious in 30-odd years," he said.
A receptionist at Local 514 said the union would have no comment.
"We don't really talk to reporters," she said.
Workers at British Columbia ports in the Lower Mainland, Vancouver Island and Prince Rupert will be in a position to strike beginning Jan. 2. Port officials say imports and exports of all commodities – save grain, whose shipments are protected by law – will immediately halt if that happens.
"Nothing could move," said one executive close to the talks. "It would affect the entire coast."
Negotiators for the British Columbia Maritime Employers Association and the International Longshore and Warehouse Union have spent the past 60 days working with a pair of conciliators. Those talks were expected to halt Tuesday night, which was set as a pre-established conciliation deadline, but will resume Wednesday morning at 10 a.m. in hopes the two sides can find some resolution.
Stephen Brown, the president of the Chamber of Shipping of British Columbia, expressed confidence that a labour disruption will be avoided.
"I think they recognize that with economic situation as it is right now, to try and shut down or even just disrupt the port is not going to be acceptable, so better not to even go that route," he said. "Unemployment is on the increase throughout North America, so to take a major port down when [workers] have extremely high-paying jobs would be not a smart thing to do."
However, BCMEA President Andy Smith warned that talks are not going well. If a new contract is not signed by this weekend, when cargo bound for the West Coast starts loading in far eastern ports, international shipping lines will begin sending Vancouver-bound shipments elsewhere.
"The significant Canadian and American shippers are saying, 'if you don't' have a deal we're going to have to start to divert now'," Mr. Smith said. "So even if a deal is made between now and the second [of January], there will be as significant diminishing of business hitting the port."
If workers do strike, the political upheaval in Ottawa could worsen an already bad situation. In previous waterfront strikes, the outcry from across the country has forced the federal government to order workers back to work. But with Parliament prorogued until Jan. 27, "we wouldn't have access to Parliament ordering us back until sometime probably in the second week of February," Mr. Smith said.
The 450 ship and dock foremen with ILWU Local 514 have been without a contract since March 31, 2007. Other port workers concluded their negotiations earlier this year. However, they would almost certainly be compelled into a striking position if Local 514 walks off the job, since safety concerns and union solidarity would keep them from working without foremen on site. In total, 5,000 workers would be affected if Local 514 stops work.
A five-week strike beginning in June, 2005 strike by 1,200 Lower Mainland port truckers cost the country an estimated $85-million a day. Another strike, by 800 tug and barge workers in April, 2004, cost tens of millions a day, according to the B.C. government.
The Port of Vancouver alone moves $43-billion worth of goods a year, or $117-million a day.
The current round of labour negotiations has been snagged on contract language surrounding pension payments and working conditions. Mr. Smith faulted the union for presenting a number of letters of understanding this week that rekindled issues thought to have already been resolved.
"I don't think I've ever seen anything quite this egregious in 30-odd years," he said.
A receptionist at Local 514 said the union would have no comment.
"We don't really talk to reporters," she said.