Cargo Business Newswire

Tuesday, March 11, 2014

Breaking News

Port Metro Vancouver union truckers reject mediated deal and strike

Dockworkers of the Unifor-Vancouver Container Truckers' Association union are picketing Port Metro Vancouver after voting down a tentative deal brokered by a government mediator Vince Ready.

Unifor spokesman Ian Boyko said union members began striking at 7 a.m. Monday.

About 300 Unifor members voted unanimously in favor of a strike on March 1 due to chronically long wait times at the port.

The union had put off plans for a strike after meeting with Ready on Thursday, when he arranged a tentative agreement between the truck drivers and the port.

But those plans evaporated on Saturday when members voted against the agreement.

"We've warned the government for years how bad the conditions are," said Gavin McGarrigle, Unifor's B.C. area director. He added that although they welcomed Ready's help, his members needed something more immediate to improve their economic position.

Ready has been charged to report back to Federal Transportation Minister Lisa Raitt by May 30, but McGarrigle said that's too long a span to await a decision and the union wants Ready to be brought in to mediate with all parties present, noting there is no overarching body that speaks for all truckers at the port.

"There's like 180 different employers, there's different unions, non-unions, fake unions and so it's crazy and there's no stability," said McGarrigle.

Over 1,000 of non-unionized truckers staged a work stoppage on Feb. 26 to protest long waiting times at Metro Vancouver's four terminals, and low trucking rates. Unifor then announced it would go on strike unless an arbitrator was appointed.

"We agree that truckers should be paid a fair wage, but bargaining relating to employment and contract relationships can only be done with the employer or the parties to the contract," said Robin Silvester, president and CEO of the port. "Port Metro Vancouver is not the employer and is not party to the contract relationships."

For more of the Vancouver Sun story: vancouversun.com