News
Dockworkers from the International Longshore and Warehouse Union Canada (ILWU Canada) went on strikes on Saturday morning at the ports of Vancouver, Prince Rupert and others in British Colombia.
The ILWU Canada issued a notice to the British Colombia Maritime Employers Association (BCMEA) last Wednesday, saying it would stage strikes at 8 a.m. last Saturday. They then held negotiations for a total of 33 hours under the support of the U.S. Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service (FMCS) but failed to reach a settlement. They restarted negotiations on Sunday morning, according to the BCMEA.
Other dockworker unions were in favor of the strike notice issued by the ILWU Canada. The International Longshoremen’s Association (ILA) pledged not to handle any diverted cargo from Vancouver and Prince Rupert. The Vancouver Fraser Port Authority said to mitigate backlogs it was adjusting how it directs and manages anchorage.
Canadian Pacific Kansas City (CPKC)’s terminal at the Port of Vancouver only accepted dry cargo exports as of Saturday, according to Hapag-Lloyd, while imports are picked up as usual. The terminal is going to stop accepting reefer cargo yesterday.
The ILWU Canada consists of some 7,400 members. ILWU dockworkers are on strike at more than 30 ports in British Colombia, including Vancouver and Prince Rupert, which are the largest and third-largest ports in Canada, respectively. Vancouver and Prince Rupert handle more than CAD800 million (U.S. $604 million) in trade daily, according to the BCMEA. Their strikes could have an impact on over 49 employers. Canadian industry urged the government to act, though, it expressed its support for collective bargaining.
