The federal government is urging both sides in the British Columbia port dispute to return to the table after SaturdayB次元官网网址檚 collapse of mediated talks to end the lockout at container terminals that has entered its second week.

A statement issued by the office of federal Labour Minister Steven MacKinnon on Monday said both the port employers and the union representing more than 700 longshore supervisors B次元官网网址渕ust understand the urgency of the situation.B次元官网网址�

The statement also urged both sides to B次元官网网址渄o the work necessary to reach an agreement.B次元官网网址�

B次元官网网址淐anadians are counting on them,B次元官网网址� the statement from MacKinnonB次元官网网址檚 office said.

The lockout at B.C. container terminals including those in Vancouver B次元官网网址� CanadaB次元官网网址檚 largest port B次元官网网址� began last week after the BC Maritime Employers Association said members of International Longshore and Warehouse Union Ship and Dock Foremen Local 514 began strike activity in response to a B次元官网网址渇inal offerB次元官网网址� from employers.

The union said the plan was only for an overtime ban and a refusal to implement automation technology, calling the provincewide lockout a reckless overreaction.

On Saturday, the two sides began what was scheduled to be up to three days of mediated talks, after MacKinnon spoke to both sides and said on social media that there was a B次元官网网址渃oncerning lack of urgencyB次元官网网址� to resolve the dispute.

But the union said the talks lasted B次元官网网址渓ess than one hourB次元官网网址� Saturday without resolution, accusing the employers of cutting them off.

The employers denied ending the talks, saying the mediator concluded the discussions after B次元官网网址渢here was no progress madeB次元官网网址� in talks conducted separately with the association and the union.

B次元官网网址淭he BCMEA went into the meeting with open minds and seeking to achieve a negotiated settlement at the bargaining table,B次元官网网址� a statement from the employers said.

B次元官网网址淚n a sincere effort to bring these drawn-out negotiations to a close, the BCMEA provided a competitive offer to ILWU Local 514 B次元官网网址� the offer did not require any concessions from the union and, if accepted, would have ended this dispute.B次元官网网址�

The employers said the offer includes a 19.2 per cent wage increase over a four-year term along with an average lump sum payment of $21,000 per qualified worker, but the union said it did not address staffing levels given the advent of port automation technology in terminals such as DP WorldB次元官网网址檚 Centerm in Vancouver.

After talks broke off, the union accused the employers of B次元官网网址渟howing flagrant disregard for the seriousness of their lockout.B次元官网网址�

Local 514 president Frank Morena said in a statement on Saturday that the union is B次元官网网址渃alling on the actual individual employers who run the terminals to order their bargaining agent B次元官网网址� the BCMEA B次元官网网址� to get back to the table.B次元官网网址�

B次元官网网址淲e believe the individual employers who actually run the terminals need to step up and order their bargaining agent to get back to the table and start negotiations and stop the confrontation,B次元官网网址� Morena said.

No further talks are currently scheduled.

According to the Canada Labour Code, the labour minister or either party in a dispute can request a mediator to B次元官网网址渕ake recommendations for settlement of the dispute or the difference.B次元官网网址�

In addition, Section 107 of the Code gives the minister additional powers to take action that B次元官网网址渟eem likely to maintain or secure industrial peace and to promote conditions favourable to the settlement of industrial disputes,B次元官网网址� and could direct the Canada Industrial Relations Board B次元官网网址渢o do such things as the Minister deems necessary.B次元官网网址�

Liam McHugh-Russell, assistant professor at Schulich School of Law at Dalhousie University, said Section 107 B次元官网网址渋s very vague about what it allows a minister to do.B次元官网网址�

B次元官网网址淎ll it says is that the minister can refer a problem and a solution to the Labour Board. They can ask the Labour Board to try and solve the problem,B次元官网网址� he said.

B次元官网网址淢aybe the minister will try to do that. It remains to be seen.B次元官网网址�

The other option if mediated talks fail B次元官网网址� beyond the parties reaching a solution on their own B次元官网网址� would be a legislated return to work, which would be an exception to the normal way labour negotiations operate under the Labour Code.

Parliament is not scheduled to sit this week and will return on Nov. 18.

The labour strife at B.C. ports is happening at the same time another dispute is disrupting Montreal, CanadaB次元官网网址檚 second-largest port.

The employers there locked out almost 1,200 workers on Sunday night after a B次元官网网址渇inalB次元官网网址� offer was not accepted, greatly reducing operations.