Union for B.C. foremen accuses port employers of ‘acting recklessly’ ahead of lockout

VANCOUVER — The union representing more than 700 foremen is accusing the BC Maritime Employers Association of “acting recklessly” by threatening an industry-wide lockout to close all B.C. ports by 8 a.m. Monday and refusing to return to bargaining with federal mediators.

Frank Morena, president of the International Longshore and Warehouse Union Local 514, said the employers have threatened to “remove four important items from the existing collective agreement should its so-called final offer be rejected.”

That includes retroactivity on wages, improvement on welfare and other benefits, a signing bonus and maintenance of “the 4/3rd wage relationship between foremen and longshore workers.”

Morena’s response comes after the employers association publicly released the final offer they made to the union on Wednesday, which included a 19.2 per cent wage increase over the four-year agreement, from April 2023 until March 31, 2027.

In that offer, which was addressed to Morena, the employers said it had been “transparent that aspects could change if negotiations dragged on and the economic or inflationary landscape continued to shift” and lists the four elements that Morena had cited.

Morena said the union would not sign a contract that removes existing parts of the collective agreement.

“The BCMEA is demanding wild concessions, skipped the last mediation session, is not willing to return to the negotiating table and is planning on shutting down the entire waterfront because of an overtime ban by the union — this makes no sense — except if the BCMEA wants to create an unnecessary crisis to pressure the federal government into intervening,” Morena said Sunday.

Steven MacKinnon, Canada’s labour minister, said in a social media post on Saturday that federal mediators are standing by and ready to help hammer out a deal in order to avoid a labour disruption at ports across British Columbia.

MacKinnon said he spoke with the BC Maritime Employers Association and the union about negotiations for their new collective agreement. He said both parties have a responsibility to reach an agreement, adding “businesses, workers, and farmers are counting on them” to strike a deal.

The employers association and the International Longshore and Warehouse Union Local 514 have been bargaining for nearly two years to renew their collective agreement that expired in March 2023.

On Thursday, the union issued a 72-hour notice for job action that would begin Monday at 8 a.m.

The move prompted the employers association to issue a formal notice that it will “defensively” lock out members of the union starting at the same time.

Earlier Sunday, the employers association said it had “no further developments to report at this time.”

“BCMEA’s final offer remains open, and if accepted by the union, would avoid unnecessary strike action,” it said in an email.

Vancouver’s port — the largest in Canada — has seen a number of recent disruptions due to labour unrest, including days-long picketing at several grain terminals in September and a work stoppage involving both major Canadian railways in August.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 3, 2024.

Brieanna Charlebois, The Canadian Press