Union for thousands of B.C. port workers to hold strike vote

A global trade analyst says a potential strike for more than 7,000 terminal cargo movers in ports throughout British Columbia could have dire consequences for not only the Canadian economy, but globally as well.

A global trade analyst says a potential strike for more than 7,000 terminal cargo movers in ports throughout British Columbia could have dire consequences for not only the Canadian economy, but globally as well.

International Longshore and Warehouse Union Canada, which represents workers who load and unload cargo at port terminals in cities such as Vancouver and Prince Rupert, said in a bulletin that its negotiating committee has authorized a strike vote.

Union president Rob Ashton said in the bulletin that the vote will take place June 9 and 10.

Neither the union nor the BC Maritime Employers Association have responded to a request for comment on the possible job action.

The employers association, which represents 49 private-sector employers in more than 30 ports across B.C., said in a statement on its website that it will continue to negotiate to reach “a fair and balanced deal” that ensures proper compensation and the competitiveness of B.C.'s ports.

Maritime employers association members ship everything from automobiles and coal to grain and containers.

Beacon Economics international trade adviser Jock O'Connell said the timing of a possible strike at B.C. ports coincides with ongoing labour strife at West Coast ports in the United States, as disputes between port officials and the longshore union's American counterpart disrupted terminal operations in places such as Oakland and Long Beach, both in California.