Explainer: The B.C. port strike
This latest job action caused political and economic anxiety for weeks leading up to a potential resolution
The B.C. port strike came to an end on July 21 as the International Longshore and Warehouse Union reached a deal with their employer, the British Columbia Maritime Employers Association. (Wikicommons/Dietmar Rabich)
The British Columbia port strike saw over 7,400 workers from the International Longshore and Warehouse Union (ILWU) picketing against their employer, the British Columbia Maritime Employers Association (BCMEA), for 13 days, starting on July 1. The reasons for the strike ranged from job security in the face of automation to better wages that can meet the costs of living.
Trade and shipping were disrupted in 30 locations across the province, including B.C.’s largest port, the Port of Vancouver. Around $10 billion in goods were left undelivered in Canada’s supply chain, causing industry facilities nationwide to face hardships from temporary layoffs to shortages.
“We are greatly concerned about the impacts the continuation of the strike will have on Canada’s international reputation as a reliable trade partner,” said Greater Vancouver Board of Trade President and CEO Bridgitte Anderson in a statement.
Recognizing the strike’s economic consequences on the country, community leaders, politicians, and Canadian businesses called on the federal government to pass back-to-work legislation to bring job action to a close. In response, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau held a national crisis meeting with the Incident Response Group in Ottawa to find a solution to the dispute.
NDP leader Jagmeet Singh said in a statement that his party would never support the government in using legislation to force workers to resume production at the ports.
“Bargaining can be frustrating, but we must not lose sight of what is at stake for B.C. port workers but also for every worker who relies on this process to ensure their voices are always heard in negotiations with powerful employers,” Singh said in the statement.
On July 13, Labour Minister Seamus O’Regan, with the help of a federal mediator, facilitated a four-year tentative agreement between the union and the BCMEA that he claimed was a “fair and balanced deal” in addressing the issues of both parties.
However, the ILWU caucus rejected the deal before a vote could be cast. The union wasn’t satisfied the offer would resolve job security problems and hoped for a two-year deal for better bargaining power in the future. By July 18, port workers were on strike again.
The next day, O’Regan and the Canada Industrial Relations Board (CIRB) found the strike’s restart on Tuesday to be illegal due to the union failing to give a 72-hour notice. The board ordered strikers to stop until this notice was submitted, a decision that paused the ILWU’s progress for a short time.
That same day the union declared but then revoked its three day advanced warning of an upcoming strike on July 22. The BCMEA were confused about this withdrawal while the government prepared for the ILWU’s next move.
On July 21, CTV News said the union finally reached a new tentative deal with the BCMEA. The union caucus approved the offer and will have members vote to have it ratified the week after this announcement.
