Businesses Fear Consequences of Potential BC Port Lockout Following Recent Labour Disruption
There is a looming lockout in the dispute between employers and the union representing over 700 foremen that could potentially paralyze ports in British Columbia again next week.
The Canadian Chamber of Commerce expressed concerns over the lockout, which coincides with an expanded job action at the Port of Montreal, adding more uncertainty to Canada’s supply chain.
Matthew Holmes, the executive vice-president at the Canadian Chamber of Commerce, stated, “It’s tremendously concerning to us, particularly because of the drumbeat of disruption that we’ve seen throughout the Canadian supply chain and the transport sector over the last 12 to 18 months.”
The BC Maritime Employers Association announced that they will “defensively” lock out members of the International Longshore and Warehouse Union Local 514 starting Monday at 8 a.m., shutting down all cargo operations provincewide except for cruise ships and grain vessels.
According to the employers, the lockout aims to facilitate a safe and orderly wind-down of operations due to escalating and unpredictable strike action. The union had issued a 72-hour strike notice for job action starting Monday at 8 a.m.
In response, Local 514 president Frank Morena said that workers had planned only limited job action such as an overtime ban, and it was the employers who overreacted by threatening a full-scale lockout.
Morena mentioned that workers are extremely angry over the employers’ refusal to bargain major issues like staffing requirements and automation at the ports. The lockout is seen as an attempt to force the federal government to intervene in the dispute.
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The union accuses employers of trying to lower existing manning levels at ports across the province, leading to a 96 percent approval for strike action among members of Local 514 in September.
The employers association maintains that their final offer is open for workers to accept and is prepared to rescind the lockout notice if the union withdraws its strike notice.
Matthew Holmes emphasized the need for federal government intervention to prevent these disruptions from causing long-term damage to Canada’s economy.
He highlighted the impact of recent disruptions on Canada’s GDP and stressed the importance of finding a resolution to these ongoing labor disputes.
