
Union, B.C. port employers ordered back to bargaining table as work stoppage drags on
CBC
B.C.'s port employers and the union representing more than 700 foreman who have been locked out since Monday have agreed to meet with federal mediators this weekend.
The two had been refusing to return to the negotiating table all week, but on Thursday evening the International Longshore and Warehouse Union Local 514 and B.C. Maritime Employers Association both announced they will be resuming talks on Saturday.
Earlier in the day, Federal Labour Minister Steven MacKinnon criticized the lack of progress in the B.C. port dispute, as well as a work stoppage in Montreal, saying there had been a "concerning lack of urgency" in resolving the issues.
MacKinnon's office did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
In a statement on social media platform X Thursday morning, MacKinnon had said he was "closely monitoring" both negotiations, which he described as "progressing at an insufficient pace" between the parties involved.
"Public services, such as ports, exist to serve the needs of Canadians," MacKinnon's statement said. "It is with this in mind that the federal government supports these negotiations. The parties must reach an agreement quickly."
British Columbia's port lockout involves a dispute between employers and foremen that spilled into its fourth day on Thursday, while Port of Montreal dockworkers have been on strike at two container terminals since Oct. 31.
Canadian retailers expressed their frustrations through their industry association, saying the sector was increasingly concerned with the lack of movement in the disruptions at Canada's two largest ports, Vancouver and Montreal.
Matt Poirier, vice-president of federal government relations with the Retail Council of Canada, said Thursday 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.
"Manufacturing, agriculture and retailers like our sector that rely on these services don't have a say in the matter," Poirier said. "We're not seated at the table, yet we're the ones that are bearing all the costs and the punishment of these delays.
Poirier described the situation as a "triple threat" of labour disruptions, referencing the port stoppages and uncertainty at Canada Post.
Poirier said retailers could face a "staggering" effect in 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.
He said they're amenable to however the sides want to reach an agreement to get the ports open and moving again. "We just want it to happen, and it frankly should have happened a lot sooner than it has."
Speaking prior to the B.C. Maritime Employers Association and ILWU Local 514 agreeing to weekend mediation, labour expert Mark Thompson, who is a retired University of British Columbia professor, described the situation as unusual.