Longshore workers and employers in Western Canada have reached a second deal on a tentative new contract, and a caucus of the International Longshore and Warehouse Union (ILWU) Canada will decide later Friday whether to send the terms to its rank-and-file for ratification.
“There will be an emergency contract caucus on Friday … to vote on whether the tentative agreement will be sent to the membership for ratification,” ILWU Canada Local 502 said in a statement late Thursday.
The ILWU Canada caucus previously rejected an initial deal that was reached last week, setting off a chaotic string of events that included a brief strike Tuesday night, a federal labor board ruling that strike illegal, and then the union issuing — then retracting — a strike notice for this weekend.
The rollercoaster developments of the past three weeks, which began with a 13-day strike by ILWU Canada on July 1, have disrupted cargo handling at Vancouver, Canada’s largest port and a gateway to US and Canadian markets, and Prince Rupert, which likewise has extensive intermodal rail service to both markets.
The initial tentative contract between ILWU Canada and the British Columbia Maritime Employers Association (BCMEA) was reached with assistance from a federal mediator.
The initial tentative agreement called for a four-year contract, which ILWU Canada President Rob Ashton said was too long given the uncertainties in the international trade economy. ILWU Canada has also been pushing terminal operators to accept expanded union jurisdiction over mechanics jobs.
The July 1-13 ILWU strike and resulting vessel backlogs and inland supply chain disruptions have added to the woes of British Columbia ports that had already been feeling the effects of declining trade volumes. According to statistics from the ports, container volumes in Vancouver were down 13.8% through May and 27% lower in Prince Rupert.
Source:
Mongelluzzo, B. (2023b, July 21). ILWU Canada Caucus to vote on New Tentative Longshore Contract deal. Journal of Commerce. https://www.joc.com/article/ilwu-canada-caucus-vote-new-tentative-longshore-contract-deal_20230721.html