Close X
Saturday, November 23, 2024
ADVT 
National

Union talks underway between foremen, employers to avoid latest B.C. port strike

Darpan News Desk The Canadian Press, 31 Oct, 2024 12:21 PM
  • Union talks underway between foremen, employers to avoid latest B.C. port strike

Negotiations between British Columbia's port employers and the union representing foremen are entering a final scheduled day in a bid to avoid a labour disruption.

Both the BC Maritime Employers Association and the International Longshore and Warehouse Union Local 514 confirm talks are ongoing with the help of federal mediation services.

The current negotiation session began on Oct. 29 and was said to be extendable by two days, if necessary.

The union, which represents about 700 foremen at the ports, has said if talks break down it has a mandate from members to strike that expires on Nov. 2.

No job action has taken place and no notices of strike or lockout have been issued, but Local 514 president Frank Morena has said "the clock is ticking" given the strike mandate's expiring date.

Negotiations began last year after the last contract expired in March 2023.

The union said in September that members voted 96 per cent in favour of authorizing strike action if necessary.

The dispute has been centred around one employer, DP World, and its manpower requirements as it relates to automation.

The union has said it had "no interest in an industry-wide dispute" because it wanted to negotiate with DP World directly, but the Canada Industrial Relations Board said the union can't bargain with one employer alone.

The union said that ruling prompted members to take an industry-wide vote on a strike mandate. 

The Canada Industrial Relations Board also ruled earlier this month on complaints from both sides alleging negotiating in bad faith, dismissing the union's claim, while partly agreeing with the employers' complaint. 

Vancouver's port — the largest in Canada — has seen a number of recent disruptions, including in September when workers set up pickets at six Metro Vancouver grain terminals.

A month before that, port operations were disrupted by work stoppages at both major Canadian railways.

A 13-day port workers strike last year froze billions in trade at the docks.

MORE National ARTICLES

Body found in Cowichan Bay

Body found in Cowichan Bay
Police on eastern Vancouver Island say they have found the body of a 26-year-old man in the waters of Cowichan Bay. R-C-M-P say the man was last seen Monday and reported missing on Wednesday.

Body found in Cowichan Bay

Man charged in child pornography

Man charged in child pornography
Police in New Westminster say a 45-year-old man has been charged with one count of possession of child pornography.  They say in a statement that the man was arrested last July and he's since been released from custody with several "strict" court-ordered conditions. 

Man charged in child pornography

Wind warning for B.C.'s south coast with gusts up to 90 km/h expected overnight

Wind warning for B.C.'s south coast with gusts up to 90 km/h expected overnight
Coastal British Columbia will see strong winds overnight with gusts that could reach speeds of between 90 and 110 kilometres per hour.  Warnings from Environment Canada span the Greater Victoria area, the southern Gulf Islands, eastern Vancouver Island, southern parts of Metro Vancouver and Haida Gwaii.

Wind warning for B.C.'s south coast with gusts up to 90 km/h expected overnight

New regulations allow Canada Post to ship prohibited firearms returned in gun buyback

New regulations allow Canada Post to ship prohibited firearms returned in gun buyback
The federal government is giving Canada Post the ability to store and transport prohibited firearms in new regulations that bring the retail gun buyback program one step closer to beginning. An order-in-council dated Oct. 16 allows for prohibited assault-style firearms to be removed from safes at firearms retailers, transported and ultimately destroyed. 

New regulations allow Canada Post to ship prohibited firearms returned in gun buyback

Joly faces calls for probe in death of woman Canada refused to repatriate from Syria

Joly faces calls for probe in death of woman Canada refused to repatriate from Syria
Advocates want Foreign Affairs Minister Mélanie Joly to call an impartial investigation into the death of a Canadian woman the federal government refused to repatriate from a Syrian detention camp. In a letter to Joly, Sen. Kim Pate and human rights activist Alex Neve say the Quebec woman died unexpectedly just over a week ago in Turkey.

Joly faces calls for probe in death of woman Canada refused to repatriate from Syria

Canadian consensus on immigration under threat, but not gone: immigration minister

Canadian consensus on immigration under threat, but not gone: immigration minister
Immigration Minister Marc Miller says Canada's long-held consensus on immigration is under threat, but has not disappeared. On Thursday, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced plans to slash Canada's immigration targets by 20 per cent next year and admitted his government did not get the balance right after the COVID-19 pandemic. 

Canadian consensus on immigration under threat, but not gone: immigration minister