Updated Story 8:05 AM (Thursday)
The on-again, off-again strike by 74 hundred longshoremen at ports across B-C is……off again.
The union sent its members back to the picket lines earlier this week after rejecting a tentative deal from a federal mediator…..a proposal they had initially accepted last week.
But that was ruled illegal because the proper 72-hour strike notice had not been issued.
So the union set a strike deadline of Saturday morning…….only to cancel it late yesterday (Wednesday).
So far, there’s no reason why.
The federal Liberal cabinet’s Incident Response Group met yesterday and is under instructions from Prime Minister Justin Trudeau to look at all possible ways of ending the dispute.
Trudeau told the session it’s vital that operations be resumed at the ports as soon as possible.
Updated Story at 1:15 PM
The union representing over 7,000 workers has provided 72-hour notice of renewed strike action.
It’s effective Saturday, (July 22) at 9 a.m. Pacific time.
The BC Maritime Employers Association noted it’s been 22 days since the union gave their first 72-hour notice.
Since then, officials say they’ve disrupted at least ten billion dollars worth of cargo alone.
The association says the current deal on the table, placed by federal mediators, includes an over nineteen percent wage increase over four years.
The International Longshore and Warehouse Union has doubled down, saying the offer does not meet the needs of its members.
Original Story at 9:09 AM
Canfor is continuing its restart at its Northwood Pulp Mill in Prince George despite the BC Ports strike taking an unexpected turn.
A company spokesperson confirmed to Vista Radio, production ramped up again on Monday and will be monitoring the labour dispute if further action needs to be taken.
Previously, the mill announced a temporary curtailment last week, that would have impacted 475 workers.
In addition, the Canada Industrial Relations Board (CIRB) is ordering the International Longshore and Warehouse Union back to work due to illegal strike action.
According to the CIRB, the union, which represents 74 hundred port workers in our province, did not provide a strike notice of at least 72 hours as required by the federal labour code.
The BC Maritime Employers’ Association will work with terminals and their legal counsel to review any damage claims made as a result of the illegal strike.
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