Port Employers in British Columbia Announce Foremen’s Union’s Intent to Hold Industry-Wide Strike Vote
The BC Maritime Employers Association has been informed by a lawyer representing the foremen’s union about an upcoming industry-wide strike vote.
According to the employers’ group, ILWU Local 514’s lawyer mentioned the vote after a case management meeting with the Canada Industrial Relations Board.
Efforts to reach the ship and dock foreman’s union, which has 730 members working at ports in British Columbia, for comment were unsuccessful.
This development follows a notice of intended strike action against DP World Canada port facilities earlier this month, leading to an industrial relations board hearing set to resume on Aug. 6.
The board instructed the union to withdraw the strike notice, citing DP World’s automation plans for cargo container handling at its Centerm facility in the Port of Vancouver as the cause.
The employers’ association has proposed a 19.2% wage increase to the union, which would raise the median foreperson’s annual compensation to $293,617, excluding benefits and pension.
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The union’s lawyer has indicated that the strike ballot will be finalized by Aug. 9, with voting expected to occur at various B.C. terminals in the near future.
