International Longshore and Warehouse Union (ILWU) Canada on Monday threatened to strike at the ports of Vancouver and Prince Rupert, telling its rank-and-file to vote later this week on whether to issue a 72-hour notice for a work action.
The threat against Vancouver and Prince Rupert, both major gateways for US cargoes with direct intermodal rail services to Chicago, comes as ILWU Canada’s US counterpart slows cargo flow for a fourth day. The prospect of labor disruptions on both the US and Canadian West coasts is unprecedented. Vancouver is Canada’s largest container port and Prince Rupert ranks third.
ILWU Canada’s negotiating committee said in a statement it had authorized a vote for Thursday and Friday on whether to strike. A week before the five-year contract was set to expire at the end of March, ILWU Canada asked the Canadian federal government for help in reaching a new contract with the British Columbia Maritime Employers Association, citing a lack of “meaningful” progress.
ILWU Canada is seeking significant wage increases, while the potential for automation of cargo-handling equipment at a planned Vancouver marine terminal is also raising labor’s ire.
In May 2019, an impasse in contract negotiations spurred employers to lock out ILWU workers at Vancouver for less than 24 hours before a tentative agreement was reached.
Source:
staff, J. of C. (2023, June 5). ILWU Canada threatens strike at Vancouver, Prince Rupert. Journal of Commerce. https://www.joc.com/article/ilwu-canada-threatens-strike-vancouver-prince-rupert_20230605.html