The Canada Industrial Relations Board (CIRB) says a strike vote taken by a union representing ship and dock foremen is illegal.
The B.C. Maritime Employers Association (BCMEA) said Friday that Local 514 of the International Longshore and Warehouse Union (ILWU) had served a notice of intended strike action against DP World Canada that was set to begin on Monday at 4:30 p.m. PT.
In a statement just after 1 p.m. on Sunday, the CIRB determined the union did not bargain in good faith.
The board found that employees of only one of the BCMEA’s member companies were asked to vote on the strike. It has directed the union to take back its strike notice.
Threats of a lockout
Previously, the employers’ association threatened to take defensive action against a strike in the form of an industry-wide lockout.
The BCMEA said in a news release that it issued formal notice to ILWU Local 514 of its intention to defensively lock out all of the union’s members on Tuesday at 4:30 p.m. PT.
“This coastwide lockout, should it be required, will shut down all cargo operations of BCMEA member companies across the province, but will not affect cruise operations nor interrupt longshoring operations on grain vessels,” the association said.
It called on the union local to withdraw its strike notice and let the dispute process conclude at the CIRB.
Federal Labour Minister Seamus O’Regan confirmed the strike and lockout notices in a social media post on Saturday.
“Federal mediators are working with the parties to help them reach a deal, and the best deals are made at the bargaining table,” he said in a post on X, formerly Twitter.
72-hour strike and lockout notices have been issued in the negotiations between the BCMEA and ILWU Local 514.
Federal mediators are working with the parties to help them reach a deal, and the best deals are made at the bargaining table.
The ILWU said in a statement last month that 99 per cent of the nearly 600 longshore foremen who voted were against a “final offer” from the employers’ association.
Local 514 president Frank Morena said at the time that DP World Canada told the union in December it would unilaterally introduce some automation at its rail intermodal yard at the Centerm port in Vancouver.
The union said there were other unresolved issues as well, such as improvements to retirement benefits and certain allowances.
An update from the Port of Vancouver posted on Sunday said the job action would have included a ban against overtime and an end to certain duties, including training and manual development.
CBC News has reached out to the union and DP World Canada for this story.
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