Canada’s Labor Minister on Tuesday took direct action to end coast-to-coast port closures by ordering binding arbitration in contract disputes between maritime employers and longshore workers, forcing ports to reopen.
Steve MacKinnon said in a statement that he has invoked authority under Canada’s labor code that will force longshore unions in British Columbia and Montreal and their respective employer groups to come to terms on new collective bargaining agreements with the aid of a government arbitrator.
In advance of the arbitration proceedings, MacKinnon also said his agency will order the reopening of ports in those jurisdictions, with previously expired longshore contracts being extended in the interim.
“I have directed the Canada Industrial Relations Board [CIRB] to order the resumption of all operations and functions at the ports, and to assist the parties by imposing final and binding arbitration,” MacKinnon said. “I have also directed the board to extend the term of the existing collective agreements until new ones are reached.”
MacKinnon’s move will end a nearly two-week work stoppage at the ports of Vancouver and Prince Rupert after the British Columbia Maritime Employers Association (BCMEA) locked out members of the International Longshore and Warehouse Union Local 514 after its vote for a strike.
The BCMEA tried to end the lockout this weekend through direct talks with Local 514 overseen by government mediators, but those talks did not result in a deal. Maritime employers there have offered Local 514 a 19.2% wage increase over four years, along with a one-time lump sum payment of C$21,000 and a boost to other existing benefits.
The BCMEA said in a statement Tuesday that it “intends to follow direction received from the CIRB and will inform member employers of operational updates as soon as possible.”
“We look forward to safely resuming operations across Canada’s West Coast ports,” the group said.
The coast-to-coast port closures have delayed the discharge and loading of ocean freight and forced Canada’s two main railroads to halt intermodal operations at the affected ports. But there does not appear to be any major disruptions in terms of a high number of anchored ships or severe backlogs at the ports.
Maersk said last week that vessels in its TP1 service to Canada’s west coast have remained at berth in Vancouver and Prince Rupert, with other scheduled vessels still en route to both ports. It said that vessels in the carrier’s Canada Express Service, which is jointly operated with CMA CGM, also remain en route to Montreal.
Hapag-Lloyd said in an advisory Tuesday that it has three ships at berth in Montreal currently, with two idling at anchorage in the Saint Lawrence River awaiting the port’s reopening. On the west coast, one ship in THE Alliance’s PN3 service remains at berth in Vancouver, with vessels in other services awaiting a berth. Another vessel in THE Alliance’s PN4 service is waiting outside of Prince Rupert for an available berth, the carrier said.
Details please refer to the JOC news.
Source:
Angell, M. (2024h, November 12). BC, Montreal ports set to reopen under orders from Canada’s Labor chief. Journal of Commerce. https://www.joc.com/article/bc-montreal-ports-set-to-reopen-under-orders-from-canadas-labor-chief-5792214