Looming B.C. port lockout and strike threatens billions in trade amid holiday shopping season

Concerns are growing about British Columbia’s local economy as the possibility of another province-wide labour disruption at ports looms.

The BC Maritime Employers Association has issued a formal notice that it will "defensively" lock out members of the International Longshore and Warehouse Union Local 514 starting Monday at 9 a.m.

The ILWU chapter represents more than 700 foremen.

“Should it be required, this coastwide lockout will shut down all cargo operations of BCMEA Member companies across the province. It will not affect longshoring operations on grain vessels or cruise operations,” said the BCMEA in a statement Friday morning.

The employer says the move is meant to "facilitate a safe and orderly wind-down of operations" in the wake of "escalating and unpredictable strike action.”

The BCMEA says it did not make the decision lightly.

“This regretful action follows thorough consideration of ILWU Local 514's continued intransigence and their provocative decision to proceed with another strike notice, despite being found to have been bargaining in bad faith on three occasions,” it wrote.

On Thursday, the union issued a 72-hour strike notice that job action would begin at 8 a.m. Monday.

The move came after three days of mediated talks this week did not result in an agreement.

The current dispute between the foremen and their employers centres around one employer, DP World.

The ILWU says it tried to negotiate directly with the company, but was overruled by the Canada Industrial Relations Board that it cannot bargain with a single employer.

The union said in September that members voted 96 per cent in favour of taking strike action against employers if necessary.

It says that workers had only planned to "engage in limited job action" on Monday through an overtime ban and a refusal to implement tech change.

It says the lockout is a complete overreaction by the BCMEA.

"Our members have repeatedly tried since our contract expired on March 31, 2023 to bargain a new contract without any job action but the BCMEA employers have refused to move and now want to create a crisis instead of negotiating," said Local 514 president Frank Morena, in a release.

Morena says workers are now "extremely angry" about what he calls the BCMEA’s refusal to bargain on issues like manning requirements in the face of more port automation.

The union is also accusing the employers of not showing up for negotiations on Thursday, the last scheduled day of mediated talks this week.

It claims the BCMEA did not notify others that it would not be coming to the table that day.

The employers’ association says its final offer includes a 19.2 per cent wage increase.

It argues that would increase the median foreperson compensation from $246,323 to $293,617 a year, not including benefits and pension.

The BCMEA says on average, eligible workers would receive a cumulative lump sum payment of approximately $21,000, inclusive of signing bonus and retroactive pay increases back to April 2023.

A spokesperson with the BCMEA declined an interview with CTV News Vancouver Friday morning, but did say in a statement that it is prepared to rescind the lockout notice if the union withdraws its strike notice.

There have been a number of major labour disruptions at the Port of Vancouver in recent months.

Last year, a 13-day long port worker strike froze billions in trade at the docks.

There are concerns the current situation could lead to similar consequences during the peak of the busy holiday shopping season.

Greater Vancouver Board of Trade vice-president David van Hemmen says the board is calling for immediate action by the federal government to intervene.

With files from The Canadian Press