A potentially crippling trucker strike began Monday morning at Port Metro Vancouver, with union members threatening to slow operations to a halt.
Unionized truckers have put up picket lines at the entrance of the port after its representatives shot down a last minute deal with the facility on Saturday. Ninety-eight per cent of members turned down the proposed agreement during the weekend vote.
Truckers have set up a station and are handing out pamphlets but are not blocking total access.
The union has demanded higher wages that would put an end to under-cutting.
Representatives say the average hourly pay wage for port truckers is $7 lower than the provincial average. Drivers are paid by the load, but only are able to deliver about three each day. The union says they need to deliver five to make ends meet.
“We’re prepared to be out here as long as necessary,” said Gavin McGarrigle, Unifor B.C. Area Director.
“We think this is a serious situation and it calls for serious answers right away. The last time in 2005 this dispute went on for 47 days, cost the economy hundreds of millions of dollars. We certainly hope it doesn’t happen but our members are prepared to be in this for the long haul.”
Port Metro Vancouver trades $172-billion in goods annually, and is Canada’s largest port.
More than $885-million worth of goods passes through the port each week. An economist who spoke to CTV News suggested that prices for consumer goods could rise because of the holdup, as deliveries get re-routed to other ports in the U.S.
With a report from CTV Vancouver's Nafeesa Karim
