Close X
Friday, November 22, 2024
ADVT 
National

Grain farmers urge intervention as Metro Vancouver terminal workers prep strike

Darpan News Desk The Canadian Press, 23 Sep, 2024 01:27 PM
  • Grain farmers urge intervention as Metro Vancouver terminal workers prep strike

Canada's grain farmers say a strike at Metro Vancouver terminals would cripple crop exports if it were allowed to take place.

The Grain Growers of Canada say in a statement that it is "deeply concerned" about a potential strike of grain workers in Metro Vancouver, since about 52 per cent of all Canadian-grown grain went to those terminals last year.

Grain farmers say a strike would "halt nearly 100,000 metric tonnes" of commodities arriving each day, potentially costing $35 million daily in lost exports.

The response comes after the union representing grain workers at terminals in Metro Vancouver said it has served their employer with a 72-hour strike notice.

The Grain Workers Union Local 333 says in a statement posted to Facebook that its strike will start at 7 a.m. Tuesday.

The Vancouver Terminal Elevators Association says affected operations include Viterra's Cascadia and Pacific Terminals, Richardson International Terminal, Cargill Limited Terminal, G3 Terminal Vancouver and Alliance Grain Terminal, all located in Vancouver and North Vancouver.

"Grain farmers in the prairies rely heavily on the Port of Vancouver to handle and export the majority of the grain they grow," the statement from the Grain Growers of Canada says. "Following last month's rail work stoppages, this strike will have an equally devastating impact on grain farmers across the prairies who are in the midst of harvest."

The group is also urging federal Labour Minister Steven MacKinnon to "use all tools available" to prevent a work stoppage from coming to pass.

"Without intervention, Canada’s international trading reputation will continue to suffer, leading to the loss of key global markets and customers," the Grain Growers' statement says.

Grain Workers Union Local 333 says the union's bargaining committee made the decision to issue a strike notice after the Vancouver Terminal Elevators Association "invested very little effort" during negotiations last week.

The union says it's now up to the employer to present a proposal for a new contract, and workers have provided a "comprehensive package" last Thursday with the association indicating the next day it had no counter offer.

It's statement says the union's shop committees will advise members of their picketing duties before the start of the strike Tuesday morning. 

"You are required to leave the terminal at that time if you are working," the statement says to workers.

"Your union will not bargain against itself," the grain workers statement says. "We will await their proposal if, and when, it comes, and respond accordingly." 

A statement issued by the Vancouver Terminal Elevators Association says it concluded conciliation with the union with assistance from the Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service on Aug. 26.

It says it could not come to an agreement on a new contract and the union has been in a legal strike position since last Tuesday.

 

MORE National ARTICLES

RCMP and the Surrey Police Service to keep working alongside each other even after Nov29th transition

RCMP and the Surrey Police Service to keep working alongside each other even after Nov29th transition
R-C-M-P and the Surrey Police Service are set to keep working alongside each other, even after the takeover date by the municipal police force. The S-P-S is slated to take jurisdiction of Surrey on November 29th, but says the R-C-M-P will continue to operate in the area and help with transition support. 

RCMP and the Surrey Police Service to keep working alongside each other even after Nov29th transition

Teenager charged in Surrey stabbing

Teenager charged in Surrey stabbing
Surrey R-C-M-P say one youth has been charged following a stabbing attack on two men earlier this month. Police say on September 11th, officers responded to calls of a fight on 130-A Street.

Teenager charged in Surrey stabbing

BC Greens want to lower voting age

BC Greens want to lower voting age
The B-C Green Party wants to lower the voting age in the province to 16, saying the move would empower young people and strengthen democracy. Green Leader Sonia Furstenau says lowering the voting age and allowing teens to vote in provincial elections while they're still in high school would jumpstart civic engagement while giving young people a real say in shaping their future.

BC Greens want to lower voting age

VPD on lookout for SUV occupants

VPD on lookout for SUV occupants
Vancouver Police are looking for the occupants of an S-U-V that was in the area where Japanese chef Wataru Kakiuchi was fatally stabbed early on June 5th. A 32-year-old man was arrested and charged with second-degree murder less than a week after the stabbing in the city's Downtown Eastside.

VPD on lookout for SUV occupants

Fire destroys historic Kamloops bridge

Fire destroys historic Kamloops bridge
An early morning fire has destroyed a historic bridge in Kamloops. The blaze is believed to have started in the middle of city's Red Bridge at around 3 a-m, eventually engulfing the wooden structure that had two lanes for vehicles.

Fire destroys historic Kamloops bridge

B.C. Premier touts involuntary care plans at convention, days before campaign begins

B.C. Premier touts involuntary care plans at convention, days before campaign begins
B.C. Premier David Eby says several city governments are on board with having a "secure site" to house and treat severely mentally ill and drug addicted people.  Eby told local politicians at the Union of B.C. Municipalities conference in Vancouver that public safety is a priority for cities, especially in downtown cores, where many people are seen "visibly" struggling with addictions. 

B.C. Premier touts involuntary care plans at convention, days before campaign begins