Close X
Friday, November 15, 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

Freeze Cdn funding for UNRWA: Israel advocates

Freeze Cdn funding for UNRWA: Israel advocates
Israel advocates are asking the Federal Court to reverse Ottawa's decision to continue funding the main United Nations agency supporting Palestinians. The Centre for Israel and Jewish Affairs is joining Canadians whose relatives were killed in the Hamas attack last October in asking Ottawa to stop funding UNRWA.  

Freeze Cdn funding for UNRWA: Israel advocates

One Canadian missing after Taiwan earthquake, says Global Affairs

One Canadian missing after Taiwan earthquake, says Global Affairs
Global Affairs Canada and Taiwan's top diplomat in Ottawa say a Canadian is missing in Taiwan after the powerful earthquake that hit the island this week. Global Affairs spokesman Pierre Cuguen says consular officials are providing assistance to the family and are in contact with local authorities.

One Canadian missing after Taiwan earthquake, says Global Affairs

RCMP still probing alleged meddling in federal elections, but offers few details

RCMP still probing alleged meddling in federal elections, but offers few details
RCMP commissioner Mike Duheme says the police force has several open investigations into possible foreign interference in the last two general elections — probes that began only after the votes were counted. Duheme declined to elaborate Thursday on the number or nature of the probes, citing the integrity of the investigations, privacy concerns and public safety.

RCMP still probing alleged meddling in federal elections, but offers few details

9 years for cocaine smuggler: CBSA

9 years for cocaine smuggler: CBSA
The Canada Border Services Agency says a man who got caught smuggling more than 70 kilograms of cocaine into Canada through the Pacific Highway border crossing has been sentenced to nine years in prison. Gerry Crawley, a commercial driver from New Brunswick, came through the Surrey crossing in March 2021 with a tractor-trailer of products from California.

9 years for cocaine smuggler: CBSA

BC announces changes to Police Act

BC announces changes to Police Act
The province has announced changes to the Police Act that it says would strengthen oversight of local police forces and improve their governance. The legislative changes would allow B-C’s police complaints commissioner to call a public hearing earlier into misconduct investigations, and give the commissioner the authority to conduct systemic reviews into causes or contributors of police complaints.

BC announces changes to Police Act

Canadian wildfires 'entirely' drove surge in global tree loss in 2023, study says

Canadian wildfires 'entirely' drove surge in global tree loss in 2023, study says
A global forest study says Canadian wildfires last year were "entirely" to blame for a worldwide surge in tree losses. The study released by researchers at the University of Maryland on the Global Forest Watch website says tree cover loss in 2023 reached 28.3 million hectares globally, a 24 per cent jump driven by Canada's loss of 8.6 million hectares last year.

Canadian wildfires 'entirely' drove surge in global tree loss in 2023, study says