The union representing British Columbia port workers has rejected a tentative agreement by a mediator that ended the strike last week.
Rob Ashton, president of the Longshoremen’s International Union of Canada, said in a statement that his caucus did not believe the deal could protect jobs “now or in the future.”
He added that the four-year deal is “far too long” given the uncertainties in the industry and the broader economy.
“Despite the record profits that member companies of [l’association] made over the past few years, employers have not tackled the cost of living issues that our workers have faced over the past few years as all workers have,” the union also said in a statement.
Resumption of the strike
Dozens of strikers were back on picket lines in East Vancouver near union headquarters on Tuesday afternoon, some wearing “ILWU on strike” sandwich panels. They declined to comment, saying they had been instructed not to speak to the media.
BC Chamber of Commerce President Fiona Famulak said she was “deeply disappointed” with the resumption of the strike and called a longer-term closure of the port “absolutely unsustainable”.
Greater Vancouver Board of Trade president and CEO Bridgitte Anderson said the group is restarting its calculations about the port closure. It is estimated that nearly $10 billion worth of traded goods were affected during the initial strike from July 1 to July 13.
The British Columbia Maritime Employers Association said union leaders rejected the deal without putting it to a vote of all members.
She said the proposed deal was “fair and comprehensive,” offering wage and benefit increases that exceed the 10% increases workers have received over the past three years.
The employers’ association said the deal ‘could not satisfy some of the internal caucus leaders [du syndicat] “.
“By rejecting this agreement in principle, the leaders [du syndicat] are choosing to further harm Canada’s economy, its international reputation and, most importantly, Canadians, their livelihoods and all who depend on a stable supply chain,” she said. affirmed.
In a written statement, the office of Federal Labor Minister Seamus O’Regan said it could not comment on the ratification process between the two sides until it received official notification from both sides. .
The 13-day strike that ended last Thursday involved around 7,400 port workers from more than 30 ports and other sites.
The labor dispute has frozen goods worth billions of dollars entering and leaving ports, including Canada’s busiest port, Vancouver.