Premier David Eby said he is looking for a B次元官网网址渞apid solutionB次元官网网址� to the resumed labour dispute at ports in British Columbia but signalled his opposition to federal legislation.
Eby said during an unrelated announcement Wednesday (July 19) in Campbell River that both the BC Maritime Employers Association and International Longshore and Warehouse Union Canada will have to show good faith to resolve the dispute, which seemed resolved after a strike of nearly two weeks, only to flare up again.
Longshore workers Tuesday afternoon struck again after their union leadership had rejected a tentative mediated deal on grounds that employers had not addressed cost of living issues. Canada Industrial Relations Board has deemed the strike illegal because the union did not provide 72-hour-notice, something it has since done. The federal government has hinted at legislating an end to the strike, something Eby said will take too much time.
B次元官网网址淭hey were so close and waiting for the federal government to pass legislation in a minority parliament in Ottawa is not going to be effective in getting the parties back to the table, getting them talking and resolving whatever issues continue to separate themB次元官网网址次元官网网址�
Disputes about the nature of strike and the language of federal labour code wonB次元官网网址檛 get ports moving again, Eby added.
B次元官网网址淲hat gets the port moving is the parties at the table working at nailing down the final issues that separate them.B次元官网网址�
Some 7,400 longshore workers first went on strike on July 1. The tentative agreement was first announced on July 14.
RELATED:
Federal Labour Seamus OB次元官网网址橰egan and Transport Minister Omar Alghabra said in a joint statement that they have been patient in respecting the collective bargaining process, but added the ports need to operate.
B次元官网网址淭he deal presented to the parties was the result of a constructive and substantive collective bargaining process,B次元官网网址� they said. B次元官网网址淚t represented a fair and balanced deal. It was informed by weeks of collective bargaining and drafted by third-party mediators in the interest of both the union and the employer.B次元官网网址�
Business organizations have also lamented the continued absence of labour peace.
Fiona Famulak, BC Chamber of Commerce CEO, said her organization is disappointed by the unionB次元官网网址檚 rejection of the tentative agreement.
B次元官网网址淥ur port infrastructure is critical to the health and success of our businesses, workers and national economy.B次元官网网址�
She added that the strike had already dragged for too long when the tentative deal was announced.
B次元官网网址淲ith an estimated $9.7 billion of cargo disrupted since July 1, it is untenable for the labour dispute to continue further,B次元官网网址� she said. B次元官网网址淭he federal government needs to use every resource at its disposal to bring the parties together and bring a swift end to the strike.B次元官网网址�
wolfgang.depner@blackpress.ca
Like us on and follow us on .
