Employers and the union representing foremen at British ColumbiaB次元官网网址檚 ports will return to the negotiating table next week with a mediator in the latest push for a resolution in the labour dispute.

The BC Maritime Employers Association says in a statement that it will meet Oct. 29 with the International Longshore and Warehouse Union Local 514, which represents about 700 port foremen.

The statement says the negotiation session could be extended to Oct. 30 and 31 if necessary.

The last agreement between the two sides expired in March 2023, and the union said in September that members had voted 96 per cent in favour of authorizing strike action if necessary.

No job action has taken place, and no notices of strike or lockout have been issued.

Earlier this week, the Canada Industrial Relations Board issued a ruling on complaints from both sides accusing each other of negotiating in bad faith, dismissing the unionB次元官网网址檚 claims, while partly agreeing with the employer on its complaint.

The union claimed one employer, DP World, refused to engage on the issue of manpower requirements linked to port automation, but the board says in its decision that workersB次元官网网址� demands B次元官网网址渨ere not presented in the context of collective bargaining or as a bargaining proposal.B次元官网网址�

The decision acknowledges that B次元官网网址淒P WorldB次元官网网址檚 approach of engaging in discussions B次元官网网址� may not be conducive to harmonious labour relationsB次元官网网址� but adds there was B次元官网网址渘o legal requirementB次元官网网址� that the company should have acted otherwise.

The boardB次元官网网址檚 ruling also granted the employersB次元官网网址� complaint against the union of bad faith bargaining B次元官网网址渋n part,B次元官网网址� specifically involving a manpower and pay proposal that was presented in April.

The union says negotiations since last year have failed to deliver a new deal.

Word of more negotiations comes with the backdrop of several recent disruptions at VancouverB次元官网网址檚 port.

In September, grain terminal workers set up pickets at six Metro Vancouver grain terminals before a deal was reached days later.

In August, work stoppages at both major Canadian railways disrupted port operations and West Coast Express commuter rail service.

In 2023, thousands of workers in a separate dispute at B.C.B次元官网网址檚 ports shut down most operations for 13 days and froze billions in trade at the docks.