Striking workers for two major Canadian ports and their employers continue to tussle over performing regular maintenance work to terminals as both sides negotiate a new labour contract.
The International Longshore & Warehouse Union Canada (ILWUS Canada), which represents 7,500 dockworkers at British Columbian ports, have been on strike since 30 June. That came after three months of talks with the British Columbia Maritime Employers Association (BCMEA) failed to replace a new labour deal that expired on 31 March.
The BCMEA said on 3 July that ILWU Canada “is attempting to aggressively expand their scope” to perform regular maintenance work on terminals, in addition to asking for “unreasonable” pay.
The union said it has raised the issue of BCMEA’s “rampant contracting out” of maintenance work for years, but the association said it has to hire contract workers because the ILWU is unable to fill the jobs.
“Our focus in this round of bargaining has been to stop the erosion of jurisdiction and the extensive use of contractors,” the union said on 3 July.
The BCMEA said on Saturday that it tabled a revised proposal to resolve skilled trades shortages and address ILWU Canada’s demand to expand jurisdiction over regular terminal upkeep, but the union rejected it.
The BCMEA’s proposal included paying the union for missed work opportunities as a result of employers hiring non-union contract workers and forming contracting and joint compliance committees to ensure both sides follow the agreement.
“Regrettably, ILWU Canada has rejected these ideas to date and instead, continue to propose to aggressively expand their jurisdiction,” the BMCEA said.
The BCMEA proposal also offered increasing benefits for casual trade persons and boosting apprenticeships by at least 15% and implementing guidance on which tasks, jobs and duties fall within regular upkeep.
“All of these ideas aim to address ILWU Canada’s apparent concern with contracting the jobs they are unable to fill, yet they have not been amenable to any of them,” the BCMEA said.
“The most recent proposal shows the BCMEA’s commitment to reach an agreement. We believe a deal can be reached if ILWU Canada wants one.”
Calls to ILWU Canada were not immediately returned.
The strike began about two weeks after the ILWU countepart representing 22,000 dockworkers on the US west coast reached a tentative labour contract with the Pacific Maritime Association after 13 months of negotiations.
