Labor Dispute Closes Canada's West Coast Ports
A dispute over the use of nonunion labor and wages that has shut down nearly all shipments through Canada's West Coast ports entered its fourth day Wednesday, with no sign of a resolution in sight. Most shippers have switched to ports in the U.S. since the lockout of longshore workers began on Sunday. But there was concern over added costs and possible congestion problems at alternative facilities. No negotiations are planned between the British Columbia Maritime Employers Association (BCMEA) and the International Longshore & Warehouse Union of Canada, and both sides have rejected calls for the federal government to intervene.
Labor Dispute Closes Canadian Ports
A dispute over the use of nonunion labor and wages that has shut down nearly all shipments through Canada's West Coast ports entered its fourth day last Wednesday, with no sign of a resolution in sight. Most shippers have switched to ports in the U.S. since the lockout of longshore workers began on Sunday. But there was concern over added costs and possible congestion problems at alternative facilities. No negotiations are planned between the British Columbia Maritime Employers Association (BCMEA) and the International Longshore & Warehouse Union of Canada, and both sides have rejected calls for the federal government to intervene. "There is no need for Ottawa to become involved," union President Tom Defresne said.
Lockout Halts Shipments At Vancouver
Shipments through Vancouver, Canada's busiest port, came to an almost complete halt as employers imposed a lockout on unionized longshore workers in a bid to force an end to a contract dispute. No talks are scheduled between the British Columbia Marine Employers Association and the unionized workers at the port of Vancouver, and federal officials have said the government has no immediate plans to force a settlement. The previous labor contract between employers and the International Longshore & Warehouse Union of Canada expired in 1998, and the two sides are at odds over several issues including wages and the use of non-union labor.
