Canada’s Dock Workers’ Union & Employers Reach New Labour Deal, Avert Immediate Strike

British Columbia: Apna Punjab Media: In a crucial development, an agreement has been reached between the International Longshore and Warehouse Canada Union (ILWU) and the British Columbia Maritime Employers Association (BCMEA), effectively preventing an imminent strike at Canada’s West Coast ports. The agreement came after months of negotiations, marred by conflicts over wage issues and the proposal to extend the union’s jurisdiction to include regular maintenance work on terminals.
These disputes culminated in a 13-day strike in July that disrupted trade worth over C$6 billion ($4.6 billion) at two of Canada’s busiest ports, Vancouver and Prince Rupert.
The labor dispute caught the attention of the Canadian government, prompting Ottawa to intervene and mediate the situation. Leading Labour Minister Seamus O’Regan instructed the Canada Industrial Relations Board (CIRB) to play a crucial role in facilitating a resolution between the union and the port employers. The CIRB met with both parties on Sunday and became instrumental in helping them reach a new agreement.
However, for the agreement to be fully finalized, it must receive approval from the dock workers who had previously rejected a different contract. To ensure a fair process, the CIRB specified that the ratification vote must be conducted by Friday, allowing the approximately 7,500 dock workers represented by ILWU to express their opinions on the deal.