Update: 04.07.2023
Despite expressing its commitment to reach a "fair and balanced" deal, the BCMEA announced yesterday that "a continuation of bargaining at this time is not going to produce a collective agreement."
"The BCMEA has gone as far as possible on core issues," said the association. "LWU Canada needs to decide if they are going to continue this strike with no hope of settlement, or significantly modify their position so a fair and balanced deal can be reached."
According to the employers, "ILWU Canada’s proposals for compensation are unreasonable, and well outside the established norm of union settlements in Canada." The association's press release highlighted that the median salary of an ILWU Union longshore worker in B.C. was $136,000 per year in 2022.
In response to the BCMEA, the union issued a statement saying it had early on assessed that "the association was not willing to engage in any meaningful way on substantive issues." That was one of the reasons why the union decided to go on strike. It added that at one point in the negotiations, the association "drew a line in the sand and ended the progress that had been made."
Concerning the union's financial compensation demands, the ILWU commented, "The member employers of the BCMEA have enjoyed record high profits for many years now and especially during the pandemic. The Union did not take the position that gorging on massive profits was unreasonable, but we did take the position that it is reasonable for the workers that helped to achieve those record profits."
Around 24 container vessels are expected to arrive at the ports of Vancouver and Prince Rupert in the next few days, according to a CNBC report. It is estimated that the vessels are carrying over 180,000 containers with cargo valued at $12 billion.
Original article: 03.07.2023
The strikes in British Columbia's ports of Vancouver and Prince Rupert entered their third day on 3 July amidst concerns from industry stakeholders. Before the strikes commenced on 1 July, the Canadian Chamber of Commerce (CCC) and the National Rail Federation had warned that a port shutdown could significantly damage the economy.
“Such a strike will have a significant and immediate impact on the livelihoods of Canadians and the health of Canadian businesses,” said Robin Guy, vice president and deputy leader of government relations in the CCC.
In a press conference held yesterday, Rob Ashton, President of ILWU Canada, announced that no agreement was reached yet despite 33 consecutive hours of negotiations. “I was in hopes that sometime (Sunday) or earlier, we would be coming with a better announcement, but we do not have one," Ashton told the media.
The workers’ contracts with the British Columbia Maritime Employers Association (BCMEA) expired end of March 2023. Members of the association handle nearly 16% of Canada’s total traded goods per year, estimated at $377 million worth of goods daily. By escalating their demands, the ILWU members seek to have a deal similar to that of their counterparts on the US West Coast.
“Our employers gorged themselves on record profits. Now, they seem to have forgotten the sacrifices our people made,” added the ILWU president during the conference.
The demands of the ILWU aim to protect its members from three main things, reports Global News Canada. These are:
- erosion of work by outsourcing
- impacts of port automation on jobs
- high inflation and cost of living
Today’s seaexplorer data show that the 7-day average waiting time at Vancouver Port is 2.2 days and 1.5 days at the Port of Prince Rupert.
According to Lloyd’s List, Vancouver and Prince Rupert are Canada’s largest and third-largest box ports, respectively. Together, they handled over 3.5m TEU last year. They also play a key role in the movement of US cargo to the world. The longshoremen union on the US East Coast had announced that they would not accept cargo diverted from the ports on strike during the labour action.
