B.C. ports meet with union for first time in days, propose revised plan to end strike
Representatives of workers and employers at the ports of British Columbia met for the first time in nearly a week to end a strike that has already disrupted billions of dollars’ worth of cargo and is expected to have a ripple effect on Canada’s economy.
The British Columbia Maritime Employers Association (BCMEA), which represents 49 of B.C.’s private-sector waterfront employers, said in a press release over the weekend that it tabled a revised proposal with hopes of addressing objections raised by the workers’ union and inking a new collective agreement. The two groups met with the help of federal mediators.
“The most recent proposal shows the BCMEA’s commitment to reach an agreement,” the association said. “We know that the best deals are made at the table, and this is exactly what we are proposing the parties do.”
The International Longshore and Warehouse Union (ILWU), which represents the thousands of workers who are on strike, wasn’t available for comment on BCMEA’s statement as of Monday morning.
BCMEA members are collectively responsible for handling about 16 per cent of Canada’s total traded goods annually, raising concerns among businesses that the strike will inflict higher costs. The association said that it handles $500-million worth of goods daily.
One of the key objections raised by the ILWU, which has been on strike since July 1, is its authority over work maintaining the ports’ machinery and equipment, which it says has been aggressively eroded by employers use of third-party contractors.
The BCMEA said the latest proposal includes “additional language” that would open the door for ILWU Canada to perform new work outside of the union’s jurisdiction. The association also proposed to convene an independent committee to better define which tasks fall within the maintenance category and to improve training and recruitment of ILWU workers.
“We believe a deal can be reached if ILWU Canada wants one,” the BCMEA said.
Aside from the issue linked to maintenance work, the two associations also need to agree on financial demands. According to sources close to the deal, the union has asked for a 21.8 per cent increase in pay over two years, but the BCMEA has proposed a 14.7 per cent hike over two years.
The ILWU said in a press release on July 6 that workers’ families are suffering due to “spiralling” food bills, housing costs and interest rates with employers unwilling to “dip into” their “massive” post-pandemic profits to boost wages appropriately.
The union added that employees must often work under difficult and dangerous conditions. It also said a waterfront worker’s income is sporadic, with the unpredictability of shifts making it hard for workers to supplement with other jobs.
Hundreds of members of the union participated in a rally in Vancouver over the weekend to support the strike.
“Now what we’re seeing is contractors that have no skin in the game, coming in and stealing our lunch. What happens when somebody steals your lunch? You get angry,” ILWU Canada vice president Pat Bolen said at the rally, according to the Vancouver Sun.
“We’ve stood up and said enough is enough. This is where the line in the sand is drawn. We want our jurisdiction. We want to be cost effective, we want to be efficient, but we need to have it,” he said.
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