Alberta premier urges Trudeau to legislate B.C. port workers back to work
Alberta Premier Danielle Smith is urging Prime Minister Justin Trudeau to mandate British Columbia’s port workers to return to work.
“Canadians have had enough. The federal government must reconvene parliament and legislate these workers return to work,” Smith said in an emailed statement Tuesday.
“Albertans and Canadians cannot afford to have hundred of millions of dollars daily in products delayed at these ports, and the longer this strike continues, the more Canada’s credibility as a reliable trading partner is damaged.”
Shauna Feth, president and CEO of the Alberta Chamber of Commerce, said Alberta businesses are being affected by the strike action.
Feth said that a convenience store owner in Calgary is stockpiling inventory in fear more disruptions will leave him without product to sell.
“He had not even reached 80 per cent of pre-COVID level inventories yet to this point, so he was, of course, incredibly worried about the strike because he’s not even at 100 per cent inventory,” she said.
Feth added she thinks most industries in the province could be impacted by the job action and that she’s hopeful the situation is resolved soon.
“I think that the real action is going to have to be on the federal government side to step in within 72 hours and really start using their mechanisms — arbitrators, mediators — to hammer out a solution to make sure that they do stay working and that the ports stay open,” Feth said.
The workers returned to the picket line Tuesday afternoon after the offer presented to both the union and employers last Thursday was rejected.
The International Longshore and Warehouse Union Canada and the B.C. Maritime Employers Association first announced that a tentative agreement was reached last week, but the employer said the union — representing thousands of port workers — has backed out.
“We regret to advise that ILWU Canada (ILWU) has communicated that ILWU’s internal caucus leadership rejected the tentative agreement, before it was even taken to a vote of the full union membership,” the BCMEA said in a statement Tuesday.
“This fair and comprehensive package could not satisfy some of ILWU internal caucus leadership, and in rejecting this tentative agreement, ILWU Leadership is choosing to further harm Canada’s economy, international reputation and most importantly, to Canadians, their livelihoods and all those that rely on a stable supply chain.”
The employers association said the proposed four-year collective agreement settlement package that was rejected included “considerable hikes in wages and benefits” that exceeded the approximate 10 per cent increase over the past three years.
The association said the proposed increases were generally above the established norm of recent private and public union settlements across the province and the country.
However, the ILWU said its Canada Longshore Caucus voted down the terms of the settlement because it did not believe the recommendations were sufficient to protect jobs now and in the future.
“Our position since day one has been to protect our jurisdiction and this position has not changed,” the union said.
“With the record profits that the BCMEA’s member companies have earned over the last few years the employers have not addressed the cost of living issues that our workers have faced over the last couple of years as all workers have.”
The strike, which has included about 7,400 workers, started on July 1 and lasted 13 days before the offer was presented.
Shipments were halted in and out of about 30 ports in B.C., including Canada’s largest, the Port of Vancouver.
The Greater Vancouver Board of Trade estimated more than $9.3 billion of trade has been disrupted since the strike began.
– with files from Amy Judd, Global News
by Global News
