Labour minister decries ‘lack of urgency’ in resolving B.C., Montreal port disputes

The federal labour minister says there's a "concerning lack of urgency" to resolve port disputes in British Columbia and Montreal and the parties need to reach agreements quickly.

Federal Labour Minister Steven MacKinnon says there’s a “concerning lack of urgency” to resolve port disputes in British Columbia and Montreal and the parties need to reach agreements quickly.

MacKinnon says in a social media post that both sets of negotiations are “progressing at an insufficient pace.”

British Columbia’s port lockout involving a dispute between employers and foremen is into its fourth day, while Port of Montreal dockworkers have been on strike since Thursday.

MacKinnon says he’s closely monitoring both sets of negotiations.

Canadian retailers say their frustration is growing with the lack of movement in the disruptions at Canada’s two largest ports.

Matt Poirier with the Retail Council of Canada says there “doesn’t seem to be any urgency” in resolving the disputes in B.C. and Quebec and it may result in empty shelves as the holiday season approaches.

Poirier describes the situation as a “triple-threat” of labour disruptions, referencing uncertainty at Canada Post, the ongoing lockout of unionized workers at B.C. ports including Vancouver, as well as the strike that has closed two container terminals indefinitely in Montreal.

Poirier says retailers could face a “staggering” impact on the holiday season “where every delivery counts,” with four days of port disruptions potentially equating to about a month in delays due to ripples in the supply chain.