Close X
Friday, November 1, 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

As ASEAN Summit wraps, Trudeau says Canada needs to keep showing up in Southeast Asia

As ASEAN Summit wraps, Trudeau says Canada needs to keep showing up in Southeast Asia
Canada needs to keep up its presence in Southeast Asia if it wants to benefit from the region's economic boom, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said on Friday as he wrapped up his visit to Laos. Trudeau participated in the Association of Southeast Asian Nations Summit this week, marking the third consecutive time he's attended the annual meeting.

As ASEAN Summit wraps, Trudeau says Canada needs to keep showing up in Southeast Asia

Police probe clears seven Vancouver officers in beating death of Myles Gray

Police probe clears seven Vancouver officers in beating death of Myles Gray
Seven Vancouver police officers involved in the beating death of Myles Gray nine years ago have been cleared of wrongdoing by a police discipline authority. The Office of the Police Complaints Commissioner said it was reviewing the decision over the 2015 death of Gray, which was classified as a homicide by a coroner's inquest last year.

Police probe clears seven Vancouver officers in beating death of Myles Gray

'Break in the cooling trend': Jobs report tops economists' expectations in September

'Break in the cooling trend': Jobs report tops economists' expectations in September
Statistics Canada reported on Friday that the economy added 47,000 jobs in September, while the unemployment rate declined for the first time since January to 6.5 per cent. The overall job gains followed four consecutive months of little change, the agency said.

'Break in the cooling trend': Jobs report tops economists' expectations in September

Man charged in shooting

Man charged in shooting
Vancouver police say a 28-year-old man has been charged in the shooting death of a man in the Downtown Eastside. Officers say they responded to a call on August 29th after a 43-year-old man was shot and the victim died at the scene. 

Man charged in shooting

Man gets 10 year sentence in triple stabbing

Man gets 10 year sentence in triple stabbing
A Surrey man has been handed a ten-year sentence for a triple stabbing in 2020 that killed his sister-in-law and left his niece and elderly father seriously injured.  The man was convicted of one count of manslaughter and two counts of aggravated assault. 

Man gets 10 year sentence in triple stabbing

Another Canadian reportedly dead in Lebanon amid escalating Israel-Hezbollah conflict

Another Canadian reportedly dead in Lebanon amid escalating Israel-Hezbollah conflict
Global Affairs Canada says it's aware of reports of the death of a Canadian in Lebanon. The department says officials are in contact with the person's family to offer assistance.

Another Canadian reportedly dead in Lebanon amid escalating Israel-Hezbollah conflict