Industrial board warns union bosses not to backtrack on new B.C. port deal
, The Canadian Press
The union representing about 7,400 workers in the British Columbia port dispute has been warned by the Canada Industrial Relations Board that changing its mind about a new deal during ratification would be an "unfair labour practice."
The board's order issued Sunday also says the union must hold a ratification vote on the deal no later than Friday.
The International Longshore and Warehouse Union Canada and the BC Maritime Employers Association announced a late-night breakthrough Sunday, saying in a joint statement they had reached a new negotiated agreement and would be recommending it to their members.
The joint statement says the new tentative deal was reached with the assistance of the industrial relations board.
The long-running dispute saw workers walk off the job at more than 30 port terminals and other sites for 13 days at the beginning of July, freezing the movement of billions of dollars worth of cargo in and out of some of Canada's busiest ports.
Sunday's warning to the union's leadership comes after a previous proposed contract was supported by union negotiators, then rejected by leaders before they changed course and recommended it to members, who sank it in a full vote last week.
After that deal was voted down by union members, Labour Minister Seamus O'Regan announced Saturday he was directing the industrial relations board to determine if a negotiated end to the dispute was still possible, and if not, to impose an agreement or final binding arbitration.
Pressure had been mounting for federal intervention if a deal failed to eventuate.
Parties including Alberta Premier Danielle Smith, the Business Council of Canada and the Canadian Federation of Independent Business have all urged the federal government to legislate an end to the dispute if it continued.
The industrial relations board's order, posted online, also says the union must not engage in strike activity, and the employers must not conduct a lockout, until after the ratification results are known.
It also orders both sides not to speak to the media after issuing the single joint statement.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published July 31, 2023.
ILWU Canada Votes Down Second Labor Agreement, Negotiates Third
The rank-and-file membership of the International Longshore and Warehouse Union's Canadian branch (ILWU Canada) has voted down a government-crafted labor agreement that would have raised their wages by about 19 percent, according to the BC Maritime Employers' Association (BCMEA). ILWU Canada's negotiators and leaders had recommended a vote in favor of the deal, which was the second iteration of a "final" agreement negotiated with federal mediators.
The latest breakdown did not last long: In a rapid-fire turnaround, negotiators for ILWU Canada and the BCMEA announced another settlement agreement late Sunday, heading off disruption. The new deal now goes to union membership for another vote.
Union members' decision to vote down the previous agreement reignited calls for the Canadian government to impose a resolution. Two previous rounds of labor action brought Canada's busiest container ports to a standstill for two weeks earlier this month.
The Greater Vancouver Board of Trade, the largest business association in western Canada, said that it was "shocked and disappointed" by the rejection of the deal. The previous port shutdowns curtailed production at pulp mills, mines, and other businesses that depend on supplies shipped through Vancouver and Prince Rupert, and the board warned of inflationary effects if the strike resumes.
"An agreed-upon deal has now been rejected twice by the union. It is now time for the federal government and opposition parties to intervene to ensure that our ports stay open," said Bridgitte Anderson, head of the Greater Vancouver Board of Trade. "It is also clear that the federal government needs additional tools to facilitate lasting agreements when labor disruptions affect the entire economy.”
Federal Labor Minister Seamus O'Regan appeared to agree. On Saturday, O'Regan said in a statement that he has asked the Canada Industrial Relations Board (CIRB) to rule on whether it is impossible for the two sides to reach negotiated agreement. If the CIRB makes this determination, they may impose a new collective agreement or impose a binding arbitration process, whether the union approves it or not. He left open "all options and eventualities" to end the dispute, signaling openness to a legislative back-to-work order.
The CIRB sat down with ILWU Canada and the BCMEA shortly after, and a third agreement was announced Sunday night. The deal must still pass muster with ILWU rank-and-file members.
No comments:
Post a Comment