America’s best-known desert, covered with solar panels: It’s the worst idea possible

by More M.
November 10, 2024


Credits: kondaas

One of America’s beautiful and ecologically sensitive landscapes called The Mojave Desert has recently been targeted as one of those places where solar energy projects can be implemented. Being a place of interest, environmentalists, researchers and scientists argue that covering the place with solar panels is not a good initiative nor a solution for clean energy production.

One of the “Last Great Places” in the globe is the Mojave Desert. Its 20 million acres offer people a variety of benefits, including clean water to drink, fresh air to breathe, energy to power our lives, and economic opportunities ranging from recreation to military training. Its scenic splendour and natural wonders also provide a home to a vast array of plants and animals.
Why the Mojave Desert may not be ideal for solar farms

Just like other special ecological places, the Mojave Desert is home to a variety of ecosystems, featuring distinct plants and animals that have evolved over thousands of years to survive its severe environment. Now, placing large solar panels there will disrupt these ecosystems and degrade the environment. Land clearing for solar power would harm delicate ecosystems, raising the possibility of soil erosion and putting local species in even greater danger.

The flora that wildlife rely on can be eliminated from a single utility-scale plant that can be as big as downtown San Francisco. Restoring the Mojave’s habitats is typically challenging, if not impossible, due to its extreme aridity. Although these changes occur quickly, many of the desert’s inhabitants, such as tortoises, do not. With the existing conservation techniques, it might not be possible to restore the populations of those plants and animals.

Despite being renewable, solar farms also significantly increase the warmth of the surrounding area by absorbing sunlight, which affects local microclimates and desert temperatures. The ensuing alterations may upset the fragile equilibrium that numerous species depend on to survive, posing further difficulties for conservation initiatives in the desert.
Keeping environmental preservation and renewable energy needs in balance

Although we are world striving for sustainability and renewable energy, it is important to desipher what works best and consider options that do not only benefit us as humans and destroty the environment. The Mojave might not be the greatest option for addressing these demands, according to conservationists. They support installing solar panels on roofs, in cities, or on sites that have already been impacted by human activity.

These substitutes can provide energy needs without endangering unspoiled environments. Despite the potential for significant energy generation, the Mojave’s solar projects’ construction and operation ignore environmental costs that may eventually outweigh the advantages. The difficulty for policymakers is striking a balance between environmental protection and the pressing need to meet renewable energy commitments.

Since the electricity produced would have to be transported over great distances to reach urban centres, the Mojave’s isolated position also presents logistical challenges regarding energy transmission, potentially increasing prices and inefficiency for the project. There are so many factors that take us back to why it is better to weigh other options or look for other places to generate energy with solar panels.

The Conservancy is dedicated to ensuring that this landscape becomes a paradigm for sound development by design, notwithstanding the enormous scope of future development in the Mojave. They have their work cut out for them, but they will be there at every turn, according to Zablocki. The future appears bright from her point of view. She is certain that the tortoise can still defeat the hare if we get it right down here.

A sustainable future depends on solar energy, but setting up enormous solar farms in the Mojave Desert of America might not be the wisest course of action. Other sites or approaches might be more sustainable given the environmental impact on delicate ecosystems and possible cultural losses. To ensure that both technical advancement and natural heritage are preserved for future generations, it will be crucial to strike a balance.

CANADA

It was only the largest diamond mine in the world: 4.5 million kWh of this energy have been found

by Kelly L.
November 11, 2024

Credits: National Jeweller

Diavik Diamond Mine in Canada just got a major upgrade! The project, which used to hold the title of largest diamond mine in the world, can now boast about a completely different aspect – 4.2 million kWh of clean energy. The impact of this is massive—264,000 gallons less diesel burned a year.

Diamond mine and solar energy plant working hand-in-hand

The mining industry is known for being a huge contributor to carbon emissions and negative environmental impacts, but global mining company Rio Tinto is working hard to change the narrative. After some controversy in the past about Rio Tinto’s lack of environmental preservation practices, such as the Juukan Gorge caves that were reportedly destroyed by the company’s mining activities, it overhauled its strategy and priorities to become a role model for sustainable practices and clean energy generation in the historically “dirty” mining world.

Rio Tinto goes off-grid with its own solar power plant

When you want something, what better way than to make your own? That’s what Rio Tinto set out to do when its management conceptualized its own power plant, and they delivered. The company’s biggest off-grid solar energy installation in Canada’s Northwest Territories is also the largest in the North, making Diavik Diamond Mine the shiniest gem in the crown in those parts.

The Diavik solar plant has a 3.5 MW capacity serviced by 6,620 panels, and 4.2 million kWh of electricity is expected to be generated a year. The solar panels have a bi-facial design, meaning they capture solar energy from multiple directions as it’s reflected off the snow that covers the Diavik region for a large part of the year.

What’s the positive impact?

The power generated is exclusively for the mine’s use, meaning it’s no longer dependent on burning diesel to power its operations. This is expected to lower greenhouse gas emissions by 2,900 tons a year, which is the equivalent of taking more than 600 gas-powered cars off the road. To date, 195 million kilowatt hours of renewable energy have already been generated.

Advantages of solar energy for electricity generation

There are a number of reasons why solar power is an ever-increasingly popular choice for alternative green energy sources:Source of renewable energy: The sun is an unlimited source of energy.

Low emissions: Solar production doesn’t involve any harmful emissions.
Low cost: Once the cost of installing solar power systems is covered, the electricity is virtually free after that, save for maintenance costs.

Low maintenance: There’s not much infrastructure involved in harnessing solar energy, so there’s less to fix and maintain.

Independence: Generating solar power means not having to rely on the grid, or not having to rely on imported fossil fuels.


Decarbonization is a priority for Rio Tinto

British-Australian mining powerhouse Rio Tinto had a clear and confident plan to eradicate the need to burn diesel to supply the Diavik Diamond Mine, and they executed it admirably. Its focus on sustainable mining practices is not just applicable to this Canadian project but to numerous projects around the globe, such as solar and wind farms in Richards Bay, Madagascar, and several in Australia, areas known for an abundance of wind and solar resources.

By 2030, Rio Tinto aims to reduce its Scope 1 and Scope 2 greenhouse gas emissions (as defined by the Greenhouse Gas Protocol) by half, and by 2050, it wants to reach net zero, a goal shared by much of the world.

Construction company Solvest started building the solar energy plant at Diavik Diamond Mine in February 2024 after $2.4 million (C$3.3 million) in funding was secured from the Government of the Northwest Territories Large Emitters GHG Reducing Investment Grant Program, which identified that the program’s regional emissions goals and carbon tax strategies align well with Rio Tinto’s.
It’s onwards and upwards for Rio Tinto in the green energy revolution

Diavik Diamond Mine’s COO, Matthew Breen, is proud of his company’s commitment to conserve and improve the environment the mine operates in and serve the communities around it:


“We are proud to lead the way for large-scale renewable-energy projects in Canada’s North.”

Mysterious craters exploded in Siberia’s permafrost. Scientists say they now know why

By Laura Paddison, CNN
 Mon November 11, 2024

An aerial view of a crater on the Yamal Peninsula, northwestern Siberia, on August 25, 2014. Scientists have now discovered more than 20 explosive giant craters in this remote part of the Russian Arctic. Vasily Bogoyavlensky/AFP/Getty Images


CNN —

A decade ago, a mysterious crater appeared in the Russian Arctic, forming a huge jagged hole hundreds of feet wide, plunging down into an inky abyss. It was surrounded by enormous chunks of soil and ice, testament to the violent forces that created it.

Since 2014, more than 20 such craters have exploded, pockmarking the remote landscape of northwestern Siberia’s Yamal and Gydan Peninsulas — the most recent of which was discovered in August.

The craters have both intrigued and baffled scientists, who have spent years trying to unravel how they erupted into existence. A series of hypotheses have emerged, including wilder theories like a meteor strike or even aliens.

Now, a team of engineers, physicists and computer scientists say they have found a new explanation. Their findings, set out in a study published last month, suggest it’s a mix of human-caused climate change and the region’s unusual geology.

Scientists were already in general agreement the craters form when gases trapped beneath the tundra — including planet-heating methane — build up underground, causing a mound to appear on the surface. When the pressure below exceeds the strength of the ground above, the mound explodes, belching out gases.

What’s still up for debate are the more specific mechanisms of how the pressure builds, and exactly where the gas comes from.

The team behind the new research decided to approach the questions like detective work, said Ana Morgado, a study author and chemical engineer at the University of Cambridge.

They first considered whether the explosions might be chemical reactions, but this was quickly ruled out. “There was no reporting of anything related to chemical combustion,” Morgado said.

It had to be physical then, she told CNN, “like pumping up a tire.”

Huge craters, some hundreds of feet wide, have pockmarked the frozen landscape. Igor Bogoyavlensky

What the researchers found revolves around the complex geology of this specific slice of Siberia.

It goes like this: beneath the ground is thick permafrost — a jumble of soil, rocks and sediment held together by ice. Underneath this sits a layer of “methane hydrates,” a solid form of methane.

Sandwiched between the two are unusual pockets, about 3-feet thick, of salty, unfrozen water called “cryopegs.”

As climate change drives warmer temperatures, the top layer of soil is melting, causing water to trickle down through the permafrost and into the cryopeg, seeping into this salty layer, according to the research.

The problem is, there’s not enough space for the extra water, so the cryopeg swells, pressure builds and the ground fractures, sending cracks to the surface. These cracks cause a swift drop in pressure in the depths, damaging the methane hydrates and causing an explosive release of gas.

Graphic shows the process by which warming temperatures and the region's unique geography can lead to explosive craters, according to new research. Graphic not to scale. American Geophysical Union

This complex dance between melting permafrost and methane can last decades before an explosion happens, the study found.

The process “is very specific to the region,” Morgado said, so while she believes they have solved the puzzle in this part of the Arctic, if similar explosive craters appear in places with different geology, “there might be another mystery to solve.”

Other scientists are less sure the puzzle has been cracked.

Evgeny Chuvilin, lead research scientist at the Skolkovo Institute of Science and Technology in Moscow, who has spent years studying the craters up close, said the study’s idea is “novel” but pushes back on the idea it fits with the region’s geology.

The permafrost in northwestern Siberia is unusual for its very high amounts of both ice and methane, he told CNN. It would be hard for water from the top layer of soil to push through this thick, ice-dense layer to reach the cryopegs deep beneath the ground.

The findings are “still too general” and don’t account for the complexities of the region, he told CNN.

His own research focuses on methane building up in cavities in the upper levels of the permafrost, before the pressure gets so high it explodes.

There is still more to be done to help solve the mysteries of exactly how this process unfolds, he said.

His caution is echoed by Lauren Schurmeier, a geophysicist at the University of Hawaii. She said while the research made sense in theory, there were still “many potential gas sources for these craters.”

Morgado said she was confident in the theory but “it can always be enriched by considering additional factors,” she added.

A scientist exploring a crater on the Yamal Peninsula on November 8, 2014. Russian researchers have made field trips to the craters to collect data in an effort to solve the mystery of their existence. Vladimir Pushkare/Russian Centre of Arctic Exploration/AFP/Getty Images

What most scientists do agree on, however, is that climate change is playing a role, and may lead to an increase in these explosive craters in the future.

Global warming “affects the strength of frozen rock overlying the underground ice with gas-saturated cavities,’ Chuvilin said, making it easier for the gas to burst out from below. As climate change accelerates, he added, it may lead to more permafrost degradation, powerful gas blowouts and new craters.

Schurmeier goes further. “Climate change is likely a primary driver,” she said. Many of the craters appeared after unusually warm summers and we should expect more of them as the Arctic warms, she added.

Not only are the craters affected by climate change, they also contribute to it. Each explosion belches out methane that was previously locked away, deep in the earth, a gas up to 80 times more effective at trapping heat in the atmosphere than carbon dioxide in the short term.

While the methane produced by each individual crater is not hugely significant in terms of its impact on global warming, Schurmeier said, “they are a terrifying sign that the Arctic is changing.”

A crater on the Yamal Peninsula on August 25, 2014. Many craters are so deep, it's impossible to see the bottom. Vasily Bogoyavlensky/AFP/Getty Images

Scientists will carry on investigating these explosive phenomena, not least because better understanding them could help predict where they are likely to appear next. Most happen in remote parts, but there are fears they could affect residential areas or oil and gas operations in the region.

Experts already monitor some of region’s many mounds, said Vasily Bogoyavlensky, of the Oil and Gas Research Institute of the Russian Academy of Sciences, who has studied the craters. “It doesn’t mean that we can say that tomorrow will be a new explosion here,” he told CNN, but it allows them to keep tabs on the most critical areas.

For Morgado, these craters are evidence of humans changing the climate and destabilizing the Earth in new ways. “And it’s very fast,” she added, “it’s not millennia anymore; it happens in a couple of decades.”

UK
A vaccine opponent is sentenced to five years for 'encouraging terrorism' during pandemic

ACVS pharmacist prepares to administer a shot of Comirnaty, the new Pfizer/BioNTech vaccination booster for COVID-19, at the Baldwin Park store on New Broad Street in Orlando, Fla., Friday, Sept. 15, 2023. (Joe Burbank/Orlando Sentinel via AP)

Jill Lawless
The Associated Press
Published Nov. 11, 2024 

London 

An opponent of vaccines who wrote social media posts urging violence against scientists, politicians and public health officials during the COVID-19 pandemic was sentenced Monday to five years in prison after being convicted of encouraging terrorism.

A British judge said 55-year-old Patrick Ruane had a “compulsive and obsessive” opposition to vaccines and spewed vitriol on the Telegram messaging app. One message described “whacking” England’s chief medical officer, Chris Whitty(opens in a new tab), over the head.

In a series of messages in 2021, Ruane posted that he was “all for hunting them down and … executing” those who made and delivered COVID-19 vaccines. He encouraged others to “find where they live, put a kill squad together and shoot” them in their beds.

In a discussion about Whitty, the vaccine opponent wrote that hitting someone on the back of the skull with a rounders bat – similar to a baseball bat – or a metal mace “would turn said target into a vegetable for the rest of its life.”

He also called for an “IRA playbook,” a reference to the Irish Republican Army’s bombing and shooting campaign, and advocated blowing up vaccine laboratories and 5G phone towers.

“This wasn’t idle chit-chat online – he was encouraging people to seriously injure or kill others, suggesting who to target," said Acting Commander Gareth Rees of the Metropolitan Police Counterterrorism Command, which began investigating Ruane's posts in 2021.

Prosecutor Julia Faure Walker said the posts reached a “very large audience” through two Telegram chat groups(opens in a new tab), one of which had 18,000 users and the other 8,000 users.

Ruane, an audio producer for films, was initially arrested in November 2021 and charged almost two years later. He was convicted at London’s Central Criminal Court in September on two counts of encouraging terrorism.

Passing sentence on Monday, Judge Richard Marks said Ruane’s messages were “extremely dangerous” during a volatile time(opens in a new tab).

“You were, of course, fully entitled to publicly vent your views and to do so in an extremely cogent and forceful way, if you chose,” the judge said. “You, however, went very much further and in so doing committed the offences of which you were convicted.”

US Postal workers to host rally in Wilmington demanding better union contract

Shane Brennan, Delaware News Journal
Sat, November 9, 2024 

Postal workers in Wilmington are not in love with their new labor agreement between the National Association of Letter Carriers and the U.S. Postal Service.

Some of them will be rallying in Rodney Square in Wilmington on Veterans Day and voting "no" on the ratification of the contract. Those organizing the rally said the proposed wage raise and reduction of "office time" and routes hurt the entire workforce.

The contract gives a raise of 1.3% to city carriers every year in November through 2025. Victor Poindexter, one of the letter carriers organizing Monday's rally, says he is uniting with other NALC members in Wilmington to demand a bigger raise in the contract.

Career letter carriers will also receive cost-of-living adjustments through the term of the contract, should it be ratified. The adjustments are $978 in August 2023 and September 2024 and $353 in March 2024. These will be retroactively paid if ratified. Future payments are to be determined by changes in the consumer price index.

"We are stepping up and speaking out about this contract; it's not good," he said. "It's gonna be hard for us to feed our families with 1.3%."

In a statement, NALC said it has been holding informational sessions before the vote to ratify the contract.

"Prior to the nationwide ratification vote on the contract, NALC leaders are holding informational briefings with letter carriers around the country, who will then make their own decisions. We do not engage in debates through the media," the statement from NALC said.

The contract also features the addition and increased maintenance of air-conditioned letter-carrying vehicles.

New contract up for a ratification vote

The contract was recently negotiated by the top brass of the NALC. According to a release on the union's website, the contract took around 20 months to negotiate.

"We are pleased to reach a fair agreement that rewards our members for their contributions to the Postal Service and their service to the American people,” NALC president Brian Renfroe said on the website.

The next steps for the contract is ratification by a vote of the union members. Poindexter, Stacey Gilbert and Tyrell Thomas all said they are voting against the contract.

The Cool Down

"I don't think I've talked to one person that's for the contract," Gilbert said.

She has been a letter carrier for three years, and the contract does benefit her, she said, but will not benefit her later down the line.

Ballots are being sent state by state to union members now.

Rally on Veterans Day seeks unity between local union chapters

It's illegal for USPS workers to strike. So, this upcoming rally is held on a federal holiday with the hope of getting the wheels turning on a more widespread and united response to the contract.

"For a long time, like the union hasn't really stood sturdy," Poindexter said. "So like at this point where we at now, like it took, it took us younger generation to step up and say, you know, we deserve, we earn more."

They said there is a generational divide at play with the new contracts. Thomas has been a letter carrier for more than a decade, and he thinks the contract isn't good enough for people like Poindexter and Gilbert, who have worked for five and three years, respectively.

Another problem they have with the contract is the decreased office time, which is time to sort mail and packages before heading out for deliveries. They said they would have 13 fewer minutes to do that before hitting the road. They said they would have about a half an hour to sort and case mail for delivery.

"We gotta do it fast, so they trying to rush us to the streets," Gilbert said.

The goal of Monday's rally is to get the attention of the national union and encourage similar steps from other local chapters of NALC around Delaware, Philadelphia, New Jersey and beyond. Poindexter said he has seen other unions demand higher wage increases than the 1.3% proposed by the contract.

He gave the example of SEPTA workers proposing a 10% wage increase, which has not been agreed to by SEPTA. He said their jobs are just as dangerous, especially during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic.

"We're outside, rain, sleep, everything; we dealing with customers during the pandemic, we was out here," Thomas said. "We had carriers die like, Where's, where's our stuff at? We got nothing in this deal."

Monday's rally could feature carriers from not just Wilmington, but Newark as well as Chichester, Pennsylvania, and Philadelphia, Thomas said. The rally is the first step in uniting the local NALC chapters to dispute the contract.

"This is sparking the fire," Poindexter said. "Hopefully it'll spread. And then all of the other mail carriers, Philly, Jersey, Delaware, New York, all the way through the East Coast, all get on the same page, and we try to maneuver and put the right people in position so we could get, get fed, get paid."

Saskatoon public library workers set for one-day strike

Saskatoon Public Library. (File)

Keenan Sorokan
Multi-Skilled Journalist CTV News Saskatoon
Published Nov. 11, 2024 

Saskatoon Public Library (SPL) workers will be picketing Tuesday as part of a full-day strike.

Accoring to CUPE 2669, the union representing roughly 270 public library employees in Saskatoon, workers have fully withdrawn all services and will be picketing at the Frances Morrison Central Library downtown.

The union says speeches will take place at City Hall as part of a rally at lunch hour.

Last Thursday, the union said it gave management five days to get back to the bargaining table. It’s been without a deal since June 2023.

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In an emailed response, the SPL said it was informed there would be a work stoppage on Tuesday, and that staff would return to work on Wednesday.

“Ongoing job action could take many forms,” SPL said in the statement. “Since CUPE 2669 is not required to inform SPL of the specific nature of the job action, we may be unable to give advance notice to patrons if library services are disrupted.”

The union had reached a tentative agreement with library management in September, after the involvement of a government-appointed mediator, but the deal was voted down by members.

Last week, SPL said it's “disappointed” that CUPE 2669 members rejected the deal, which it says included fair and reasonable wage increases and measures to address staff safety concerns.

CUPE says library staff are regularly left to work alone at each service point, leaving them vulnerable, as many have faced violence on the job.

Violence at work has been an ongoing concern in recent years.

A 2022 CUPE survey of public library staff, primarily from Saskatoon and Regina, found that half of them have experienced violence at work, nearly half have been subjected to threats of physical harm, 71 per cent have witnessed violence, and 78 per cent have been verbally abused.

In Saskatoon, two branches were forced to close for several weeks in 2022 because staff no longer felt safe at work. CUPE says staff refused to work in the branches because one staff member was punched in the face.

“Library staff and patrons deserve changes that make them feel safe at the library,” CUPE representative Katherine Norton said in the statement.

Tuesday's strike is expected to end around 5 p.m. with speeches at City Hall happening from noon until 2 p.m.

-- With files from Rory MacLean

72-hour strike notice served by Fort McMurray education support workers

By Kabi Moulitharan 

 Global News
Posted November 9, 2024 

Educational support workers in Fort McMurray, Alta. could walk off the job as early as Wednesday after issuing a 72-hour strike notice to the public and catholic school divisions. The latest move stems from months of contract negotiations and forced mediation by the province, that was unsuccessful. Kabi Moulitharan reports.

Education support workers in Fort McMurray, Alta., could walk off the job as early as Wednesday, after issuing a 72-hour strike notice Friday to the public and Catholic school divisions.

The latest move stems from nine months of contract negotiations and forced mediation by the province, which was unsuccessful.

On Sept. 17, both CUPE 2554 and CUPE 2559 issued a strike notice. However, the provincial government intervened and appointed them to two dispute inquiry boards.

During that process, CUPE President 2554 Lynn Fleet said the two sides still couldn’t come to an agreement.
“We rejected the recommendations from the [Dispute Inquiry Board]. They weren’t offering us anything of substance,” Fleet told Global News. “We did do another strike vote. The public board was 99.1-per cent in favour of a strike.”
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CUPE 2554 represents educational assistants, librarians, custodians, and other support staff at the public division. CUPE 2559 represents those roles working at the Catholic division.

Members at both units plan to picket Wednesday morning at Dr. Karl A Clark Public School and Lady of the Rivers Catholic School. They plan to picket Thursday as well, though a location hasn’t been disclosed.

Beginning Nov. 18, both unions plan to strike on a rotating basis through various schools once or twice a week.

Classes will continue for most of the student body with limited resources. Students in specialized or assisted programs may be required to stay home.

CUPE 2559 President Danielle Danis says while they want to advocate for what they deserve, they want to make the least amount of impact on its students.

“It will cause some interruptions but at the same time, we’re trying to respect the balance of the students who need to be in schools, especially the most vulnerable students,” Danis told Global News.

Education support staff have been calling for wage increases and suitable working conditions.

They say their members are overburdened by the workloads and are pulled in several directions. They feel they can’t support their students adequately.

Danis adds her members’ salaries don’t keep up with cost of living. She says many of her colleagues are working two jobs to make ends meet.

“I should be making $7.84 more an hour to keep up with inflation so it’s really frustrating,” Danis said.


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In a joint statement released Friday, both presidents say their employers have also applied for a lockout notice which has been approved, but has not been served.

“Most places that do go on a strike are served lockout notice at the same time. There is really no difference. We’re on strike and they’ve locked us out. They have not served that to us, yet. ”

Education Minister Demetrios Nicholaides believes the strike will disrupt student learning and create challenges for families.

“My hope is that both parties can quickly overcome their challenges and bring stability to schools,” he said in a statement.

Canada Port Lockouts Back Trudeau Government Into a Corner Again

By Mathieu DionNovember 11, 2024 

(Bloomberg) -- Business groups are urging Justin Trudeau’s government to put an end to labor strife at Canada’s largest ports, as it did with railways in August, to avoid chaos in the country’s supply chains.

Hundreds of dock foremen at British Columbia ports have been locked out for a week. Montreal port employers did the same on Sunday, locking out 1,200 unionized employees after those workers rejected a contract offer that included pay increases of about 20% over six years.

Together, the work disruptions are affecting ports that handle some C$1.2 billion ($860 million) of goods a day, businesses say. They want Labor Minister Steven MacKinnon to force the matter to the Canada Industrial Relations Board, which can order the sides to arbitration to resolve the dispute.

That’s the tool he deployed to end work stoppages at Canada’s two largest railways more than two months ago. But the government’s use of it has aroused discontent among some unions. The Teamsters Canada Rail Conference is mounting a court challenge, saying the government’s actions in the railway dispute set a dangerous precedent by violating workers’ constitutional rights.

Soon afterward, the pro-union New Democratic Party tore up a parliamentary pact in which it had agreed to vote with Trudeau’s Liberals to pass key legislation. It’s not clear whether the government could get enough support now to pass a back-to-work bill, if it needed to do so to end the port dispute.


MacKinnon’s office declined to comment.

Michel Murray, a spokesperson for the Montreal Longshoremen’s Union, said in a statement that the port employers “act as bullies,” and if they refuse to negotiate, it means “they clearly want the federal government to intervene.”

“Nearly C$6 billion worth of goods are expected to arrive at the port over the next two weeks,” Michel Leblanc, chief executive officer of the Chamber of Commerce of Metropolitan Montreal, said in a statement. “The urgency is real.”

Goldy Hyder, CEO of the Business Council of Canada, said the disputes “continue to weaken Canada’s economy and tarnish its reputation as a reliable trading partner.”

“Canada’s ports will continue to lose market share if the country’s reputation for labor instability isn’t corrected soon,” Hyder said in a Nov. 9 letter addressed to MacKinnon and Transport Minister Anita Anand.

The Montreal offer would have boosted average dockworker compensation to more than C$200,000 per year, according to a group of port employers.

©2024 Bloomberg L.P.

First B.C., now Montreal: What a pair of port shutdowns means for Canada

By Craig Lord Global News
Posted November 11, 2024

What hope existed for a resolution to a labour dispute crippling operations at B.C. ports evaporated this weekend. Employers and the union were scheduled to sit down for three days of mediated talks to end a lockout that has cost the Canadian economy billions. But as Alissa Thibault reports, the two sides didn't even meet face to face.

Locked-out workers at ports in British Columbia were joined on the picket lines by their peers in Montreal on Sunday night, stymying trade at Canada’s two largest marine trading hubs heading into the busy holiday shopping season.

While experts tell Global News that consumers will hopefully avoid a Christmas crunch, they also warn that the latest kinks in the Canadian supply chain could affect hopes for an economic rebound.

“This has been a constant drumbeat of disruptions in the logistics and transportation sector over the last year, year and a half,” says Fraser Johnson, professor of operations management at Western University’s Ivey Business School.

“It’s been a constant problem and a lot of headaches for Canadian companies.”

5:00 Impact of B.C. port shut down on Canada’s supply chain


The labour dispute shutting down cargo container traffic at British Columbia’s ports for a week now has shown little signs of moving towards resolution, with the parties breaking off talks on Saturday.

The next day, dock workers in Montreal voted to reject their employers’ latest offer, leading to another lockout starting Sunday evening.

Johnson tells Global News the ports in B.C. represent roughly 45 per cent of inbound marine shipments to Canada, with the Port of Montreal handling 10 per cent.

In other words, more than half of all goods coming into Canada by sea are currently disrupted by the twin shutdowns.

Risks to Canada's 'economic lifeline'

The Port of Vancouver facilitates the import of many goods from Asia, including electronics and other consumer goods, Johnson says. Both Vancouver and Montreal also bring in automotive parts and vehicles, he adds.

Johnson says the Port of Vancouver handles about $800 million a day in freight, while the Montreal terminals handle roughly half that, totalling more than $1 billion in daily trade.

Both the Vancouver and Montreal ports are also critical for getting Canadian exports to the world. Canadian agricultural and forestry products, oil and critical minerals all head to Asia and Europe through those channels.

“Trade is our economic lifeline. Trade is what drives our economy,” says Pedro Antunes, chief economist at the Conference Board of Canada. “We keep seeing, repeatedly over the last number of years, snags that are affecting our ability to get our products to market.”

Pascal Chan of the Canadian Chamber of Commerce says the simultaneous disruptions at the ports means the country is effectively advertising that it’s closed for business.

Chan, who is the senior director of transportation, infrastructure and construction at the chamber, says in a statement that the last thing Canadians struggling with high living costs need is another trade disruption.

2:22  Business Matters: Canada’s economy stalled in August amid rail shutdown



The shutdowns at the ports come after operations at Canada’s two main railways were halted in August until the government stepped in, while B.C. ports and the St. Lawrence Seaway were disrupted last year.

Antunes tells Global News the series of labour disruptions in the Canadian supply chain compound trade concerns stoked by Donald Trump’s election victory in the United States. During the campaign, Trump proposed putting blanket tariffs on goods coming into the U.S. and championed “America-first” policies that could disrupt global trade patterns.

The world is becoming a more “insular” place and borders are becoming “thicker,” Antunes says.

If Canadian businesses continue to show that they can’t resolve labour disputes at the negotiating table, rising to the point of shutdowns, Antunes says that sends a message that foreign firms are taking bigger risks by setting up shop here.

“When businesses are looking where to invest and they need access to a U.S. consumer, for example, they’ll be looking south of the border more so if we keep having these snags in terms of our ability to get products out,” he says.

Global News reached out to Labour Minister Steve MacKinnon’s office on Monday for a comment about whether Ottawa was considering intervening in either dispute to get goods moving through the B.C. and Montreal ports again.

“The parties must understand the urgency of the situation and do the work necessary to reach an agreement. Canadians are counting on them,” a spokesperson from MacKinnon’s office said in a statement.

The spokesperson also pointed to a Nov. 7 statement from MacKinnon, which said that he was “closely monitoring” negotiations in both regions, adding that talks were progressing at an “insufficient pace.”

Port lockouts could intersect with Canada Post strike

With the busy holiday shopping season nearing, Johnson says he expects minimal impact on consumers. With the labour disruptions anticipated from businesses, many larger retailers were ordering stock in the summer and early fall to ensure their shelves were stocked for the holidays.

Any additional inventory needs will likely be routed through ports in the United States and shipped up across the Canadian land border, he says.

But Johnson warns that it’s more likely to be Canada’s small and medium-sized businesses — those without the extensive supply chains of megaretailers like the Walmarts of the world — who feel the pinch from the latest set of port lockouts.

“They don’t have the flexibility and the variety of alternatives in terms of shipping products. So we’ll probably see proportionally higher costs and probably greater delays and shortages as a result of the labour disruptions,” he says.

1:56  B.C. port lockout threatens Calgary small retailers as holiday season nears

The Retail Council of Canada warned Global News last week that with the chance of a Canada Post strike also looming, consumers and Canadian businesses should prepare for a “triple threat” of disruptions in the weeks ahead.

Matt Poirier, vice-president of federal government relations for the Retail Council of Canada, said he was concerned about not only getting merchandise on the shelves given the port strikes, but also getting goods to customers who order by delivery.

“A lot of small retailers in particular are really reliant on Canada Post to get the ordered goods to their customers,” he said. “It really does change the economics of the business model when you have to start looking at alternatives that could be pricier and especially when everyone else is, the prices spike and the service might not be as reliable.”

If the pair of labour disruptions are resolved in a timely fashion, Antunes doesn’t see the lockouts as a “game-changer” for Canada’s economy.

But he notes that the shutdowns come at an uncertain time for economic output. Canada’s latest real gross domestic product figures show the country is barely eking out growth in recent months.

Forecasters including the Bank of Canada, which has been lowering its benchmark interest rate in a bid to stimulate growth, are projecting an economic rebound in the next two years. But Antunes says those estimates are anything but a certainty, with consumers still stretched by mortgage renewals and a weakening labour market.

“The idea that we’ve successfully managed to get inflation down and have a soft landing and we’re going to see a re-emergence of growth, I think there’s still a lot of question marks around that,” he says.

“We’ve only seen a couple of days of disruption here. But again, anything that is longer-lasting will have implications on the strength of our recovery in the near term.”

— with files from Global News’ Sean Previl and The Canadian Press

 Port of Montreal lockout begins as dockworkers reject latest offer

By Sidhartha Banerje

 The Canadian Press
November 11, 2024 

WATCH - Montreal port workers lose guaranteed wages amid strike – Nov 2, 2024

Operations at the Port of Montreal were greatly reduced Monday as the employers’ association made good on a threat to lock out nearly 1,200 longshore workers if they didn’t accept what it called a final contract offer.

The lockout took effect at 9 p.m. Sunday, and the Maritime Employers Association is asking federal Labour Minister Steven MacKinnon to intervene. MacKinnon’s office issued a statement Monday calling on both sides at the country’s second largest port to get back to the negotiating table.

“The parties must understand the urgency of the situation and do the work necessary to reach an agreement,” his office said. “Canadians are counting on them.”

The union told a news conference on Monday it is ready to return to the table as early as Tuesday. But Michel Murray, a union adviser with the Canadian Union of Public Employees, which represents the dock workers, said union overtures have received no response from the employer.

Murray told a news conference simultaneous lockouts in Montreal and Vancouver seem to be designed to force the federal government’s hand. Port workers in British Columbia are locked out amid a labour dispute involving more than 700 longshore supervisors, resulting in a paralysis of container cargo traffic at terminals across Canada’s west coast.

“We hope that the employer side will emerge from its silence of the past three weeks,” Murray said. “But clearly, when we look at what is happening, the lockout in Vancouver, the lockout in Montreal, we feel that it is a co-ordinated, planned attempt to increase the pressure on the federal government so that it intervenes in our file.”

2:11 Business Matters: Port of Montreal dockworkers hold one-day strike

Julie Gascon, chief executive of the Montreal Port Authority, warned of the economic consequences of a prolonged conflict.

“This lockout affects not only the 1,200 longshoremen directly impacted by the work stoppage, but it also impacts over 10,000 workers in the logistics sector, from trucking and railway employees to maritime agents and pilots,” she said in a statement.

“Logistics jobs are the first to be affected, which inevitably sets off a domino effect throughout the entire economy in the markets we serve.”

Gascon told reporters in an early morning news conference effects will trickle down to other parts of the economy.

“Today, the conflict is impacting the supply chain, but tomorrow, the conflict will impact factories as well, after that, it will be retailers,” she said, adding: “The best agreement is an agreement that is (reached) at the negotiating table.”

The Port of Montreal moves nearly $400 million in goods every day. The Port of Montreal said essential services will continue at the port, with liquid bulk terminals and the grain terminal among those remaining open.

The employers association in Montreal said it initiated the lockout after the unionized workers voted to reject a contract offer tabled last week. The Canadian Union of Public Employees says members voted 99.7 per cent to reject the proposal. The workers have been without a collective agreement since Dec. 31, 2023.

The union has said it would accept the same wage increases that were granted to its counterparts in Halifax or Vancouver — 20 per cent over four years. It is also concerned with scheduling and work-life balance.

Pascal Chan, senior director of transportation, infrastructure and construction at the Canadian Chamber of Commerce, said the combined work stoppages affect the flow of $1.2 billion worth of goods every day.

“We need to see leadership from government that puts Canadian workers and businesses first by putting an end to these disputes and getting goods flowing again as quickly as possible,” Chan said in statement

Port of Montreal lockout underway after dockworkers overwhelmingly vote to reject employer offer

Maritime Employers Association calls on federal labour minister to intervene

Sidhartha Banerjee · The Canadian Press · Posted: Nov 10, 2024 

The Maritime Employers Association (MEA) issued the dockworkers' union what it called its final offer on Thursday, threatening to lock out workers at 9 p.m. Sunday if a deal wasn't reached. (Christinne Muschi/The Canadian Press)

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The union representing some 1,200 dockworkers at the Port of Montreal has overwhelmingly rejected a deal with their employers' association, and a lockout at the facility is underway.

A spokesperson for the Canadian Union of Public Employees says members voted 99.7 per cent to reject the latest offer from the Maritime Employers Association (MEA).

The MEA issued the dockworkers' union what it called its final offer on Thursday, threatening to lock out workers at 9 p.m. Sunday if a deal wasn't reached.

Only essential services and activities unrelated to dockworkers would continue at the port after the deadline, the MEA had said. 

The Port of Montreal, which is Canada's second-biggest port and moves nearly $400 million in goods every day, said three terminals would remain operational in the event of a lockout: the Bickerdike terminal, liquid bulk terminals and the grain terminal.

MEA calls on labour minister to intervene

"The Maritime Employers Association condemns the negative result of the vote held by the Montreal Longshoremen's Union on the final offer submitted Thursday and has no choice but to declare a lockout this evening at 9 p.m.," the MEA said in a statement.

"The MEA reiterates its request to the Minister of Labour, Steven MacKinnon, to intervene to resolve the impasse as quickly as possible. "

• Talks break off in B.C. port dispute as bid to end multi-day lockout fails

• Rippling effects of B.C. port lockout could reach Calgary businesses

"If the MEA had respected the collective bargaining process, we would have found solutions and avoided a conflict at the Port of Montreal," said CUPE consultant Michel Murray in a news release. 

He said "nothing in the offer" reflects the union's demands. 

In an email, a spokesperson for the MEA noted the "unique benefits" enjoyed by its dockworkers, including a "very generous pension plan" as well as a wage guarantee program.

The Montreal lockout means workers at both of the country's largest ports will be locked out, with workers in British Columbia locked out since Monday in an ongoing contract dispute at the Port of Vancouver, the largest port in Canada.

WATCH | Dockworkers locked out at Montreal port: 

Roughly 1,200 dockworkers at the Port of Montreal rejected a deal Sunday evening, triggering a lockout at Canada's second-busiest port. It added to a string of labour disruptions including a lockout at the Port of Vancouver and a looming Canada Post strike.

Employer tabled 'final' offer Thursday evening

The employer tabled on Thursday evening what it described as a "final, comprehensive offer," and called on the union to reply by 8 p.m. Sunday whether it will accept the six-year pact. The offer came with a 72-hour lockout notice.

The MEA said last week its new offer includes a three per cent salary increase each year for four years and a 3.5 per cent increase for the two subsequent years.

The increases would bring a longshore worker's total average compensation at the Port of Montreal to more than $200,000 per year at the end of the contract.

The association added that it is asking longshore workers to provide at least one hour's notice when they will be absent from a shift — instead of one minute — to help reduce management issues "which have a major effect on daily operations."

On Friday, a Syndicat des débardeurs du port de Montréal official said the new offer contained just "cosmetic changes" and doesn't address issues about scheduling, a major flashpoint in talks.

WATCH | What the ongoing B.C. port lockout means for businesses, Canadians: 

Hundreds of workers rallied near the docks in East Vancouver to demand a new contract on Friday, as the port lockout entered its fifth day. Employers and union reps are set to meet with federal mediators this weekend, but, as Jon Hernandez reports, many small business owners are already concerned about impacts.

The union had said it had no issue submitting the latest offer to a vote, but added it was unlikely to be supported as members have already rejected two similar offers by secret ballot.

The union has said it will accept the same increases that were granted to its counterparts in Halifax or Vancouver — 20 per cent over four years. It is also concerned with scheduling and work-life balance.

On Friday morning, the union and employers association spent two hours with a federal mediator without making any progress.

Workers have been without a collective agreement since Dec. 31, 2023.

Montreal Dockworker Lockout Will Impact Canada in ‘Matter of Days’

Glenn Taylor
Mon, November 11, 2024



Union dockworkers at the Port of Montreal have been locked out after rejecting a “final” contract offer from the Maritime Employers Association (MEA), shutting down all four major container terminals at the hub and further straining supply chains on both of Canada’s coasts.

The lockout of all 1,197 members of the Local 375 branch of the Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE) began Sunday night at 9 p.m., significantly widening the scope of an ongoing work stoppage.

More from Sourcing Journal

Montreal Port Employers Threaten Lockout if 'Final' Offer Not Accepted

Montreal Port Calls for Strike Intervention, While West Coast Endures Backlog

The Port of Montreal moves $400 million Canadian dollars ($287,000) worth of cargo every day, second in the country only to the Port of Vancouver, which is experiencing a foremen lockout of its own across major British Columbia ports. The B.C. ports remain open.

The Montreal Port Authority raised alarm over a possible prolonged conflict, with CEO Julie Gascon saying at a Monday morning news conference that there will be “catastrophic” consequences for the Canadian economy if the lockout continues. She had previously called on the Canadian federal government to intervene in the labor action.

Gascon said it was only a “matter of days” before the lockout is felt by citizens daily. She estimated that over 10,000 workers in the logistics sector—from trucking and railway employees to maritime agents and pilots—will feel the brunt of the work stoppage.

Rail operations at the port’s Viau, Maisonneuve, Cast and Racine terminals have been suspended. Canadian Pacific Kansas City (CPKC) is not accepting any exports to the Port of Montreal due to the strike. Canadian National Railway suspended and removed all capacity at inland terminals for exports destined to Montreal’s terminals.

Maersk said Saturday it has three vessels underway with planned calls in Montreal. However, it is considering omitting Montreal and proceeding to Canada’s other major East Coast ports, Halifax and St. John, as part of its contingency plans in case the port doesn’t reopen. CMA CGM was evaluating whether one of its ships could import discharge at Halifax instead of Montreal.

“Each container that is not moved here in Montreal is a missing piece in the Canadian economy,” Gascon said. “Today, the lockout affects the logistics chain. Tomorrow, it’ll be the factories. After that, it’ll be the retailers.”

Roughly 320 CUPE longshoremen had already been on an indefinite strike since Oct. 31 as the union seeks out a new contract. But that strike only impacted two of the Montreal port’s terminals, which handled 40 percent of container traffic.

A larger overtime strike that affected all major terminals has been in place since Oct. 10, with a full-day strike taking place Oct. 27.

The MEA’s latest offer provided for a 3 percent salary increase per year for four years and a 3.5 percent increase for the two subsequent years, retroactive to the beginning of 2024. When the contract expires, the total average compensation of a longshore worker at the port would be more than $200,000 Canadian dollars ($144,000) per year.

According to the union, 99.7 percent of the members voted the deal down.

“The hostile offer was rejected because the employer refused to negotiate. Nothing in the offer reflects the union’s demands,” said Michel Murray, union advisor at CUPE, in a statement. “If the MEA had respected the collective bargaining processes, solutions would have been found and a conflict at the Port of Montreal would have been avoided.”

According to the union, the new contract offer doesn’t address issues regarding scheduling and work-life balancing, which have been major sticking points in the negotiations.

On Sunday night, the MEA reiterated its request to Canada’s Minister of Labour, Steven MacKinnon, to intervene to resolve the impasse as quickly as possible.

“A number of economic and maritime players across the country have made the same request in recent weeks to get things moving,” the employers said. “Like the MEA, they all want this dispute to be resolved so that Québec and Canadian businesses can no longer be held hostage and rely on predictable and uninterrupted operations at the Port of Montreal.”

Tagging MacKinnon in a statement on X, Quebec Labour Minister Jean Boulet said, “This conflict will have major consequences on the economy if it continues. It is imperative that Ottawa act quickly to bring the parties to an agreement as soon as possible and restore activities at the Port.”

Marc Cadieux, president of the Quebec Trucking Association (ACQ), said that the labor disruption directly impacts land transportation and the hundreds of jobs associated with it.

“Nearly 2,000 trucks move through the Port of Montreal every day. The freezing of its activities will have an immediate impact on many carriers who may have to consider layoffs,” Cadieux said in a statement. “The ACQ strongly urges the responsible stakeholders to find a solution to restart commercial activities at this crucial point of global trade as soon as possible and avoid compromising our reputation on the international stage.”

The Port of Montreal longshore workers have been without a new collective bargaining agreement since Dec. 31, 2023.

Lockout at Port of Montreal could be

 'catastrophic' for economy, port authority

 says

CBC
Mon, November 11, 2024 

A lockout at the Port of Montreal began Sunday evening. The CEO of the Montreal Port Authority said the labour dispute will disrupt the Canadian economy if it doesn't get resolved. (Christinne Muschi/The Canadian Press - image credit)

If the lockout of dockworkers in Montreal persists, there will be "catastrophic" consequences for the Canadian economy, particularly in Quebec and Ontario, the local port authority warns.

On Monday morning, Port of Montreal CEO Julie Gascon held a news conference, less than 12 hours after the lockout began.

The lockout is the latest escalation in a labour dispute that has heated up in recent weeks. The Port of Montreal moves $400 million worth of goods every day and is Canada's second busiest port after Vancouver, which is also mired in a labour dispute. A lockout also began there last Monday.

On Thursday, the Maritime Employers Association (MEA) tabled what it described as a final offer, which came with a 72-hour lockout notice.

The MEA threatened to lock out workers as of Sunday at 9 p.m. if they didn't accept the offer.

The dockworkers overwhelmingly rejected the offer, with 99.7 per cent of members voting against it, according to a spokesperson for the Canadian Union of Public Employees.

Gascon said it's only a "matter of days" before the effects of the lockout are felt on a daily basis by everyday people, not just the workers. She said the lockout directly affects 1,200 workers at the port, but 10,000 other workers who depend on the port's flow of goods, like truck drivers and marine pilots, could also be caught in the dispute.

She also mentioned businesses, big and small, who rely on materials delivered through the port.

"Each container that is not moved here in Montreal is a missing piece in the Canadian economy," Gascon said.

"Today, the lockout affects the logistics chain. Tomorrow, it'll be the factories. After that, it'll be the retailers."

Some essential services like wheat transportation continue but most merchandise is frozen.

A sign reading "closed" is shown next to the entrance to a terminal at the Port of Montreal in Montreal, Sunday, Nov. 10, 2024, where a lockout of dock workers has been declared by the employer.

A sign reading "closed" is shown next to the entrance to a terminal at the Port of Montreal in Montreal, Sunday, Nov. 10, 2024, where a lockout of dock workers has been declared by the employer. (Graham Hughes/The Canadian Press)

'Dockworkers won't get down on one knee'

Last week, the MEA said its newest offer includes a three per cent salary increase each year for four years and a 3.5 per cent increase for the two subsequent years. The association says those increases would bring the Montreal dockworkers' total average compensation to more than $200,000 per year at the end of that proposed contract.

The association added that it wants dockworkers to provide at least one hour's notice when they will be absent from a shift — instead of one minute — to help reduce management issues "which have a major effect on daily operations."

The union representing dockworkers, the Syndicat des débardeurs du port de Montréal, dismissed the offer. It said it only contains "comestic changes" and doesn't address issues around scheduling, a major sticking point in negotiations.

On Monday, a few hours after the Port of Montreal met with the media, the dockworkers' union, held a news conference of its own. For more than a decade, no progress has been made on issues such as work-life balance and work schedules, declared Michel Murray, the union's spokesperson.

"The lockout in Vancouver, the lockout in Montreal, we see as a co-ordinated, planned group effort to put pressure on the government to intervene in our case," he said.

Asked about the salary increase proposed by the employer, Murray replied that it was "snake oil" and that it was not true that dockworkers could earn $200,000 at the end of the contract.

"To earn 200,000, a dockworker would have to earn $97 an hour all year round. The employer's offer in 2029 is $51 an hour," he said.

Murray described a "vengeful, contemptuous" employer, pointing to "1,200 disciplinary measures per year" and workers heavily monitored by surveillance cameras.

"As long as there's no change in this 13-year-old philosophy, labour relations will remain the same and the dockworkers won't break. Dockworkers won't get down on one knee," said Murray.

"Dockworkers will be proud to work and to give productivity when they are respected by the employers association and by these maritime companies."

Murray says his group has been trying for three weeks to get the employer's availability dates to resume negotiations.

On Monday, the MEA declined CBC News's request for an interview.

'The urgency is real'

The collective agreement between the maritime employers and the dockworkers expired on Dec. 31, 2023.

The labour dispute ramped up in late September, when the workers rejected an offer and approved a strike mandate.

Dockworkers went on a three-day strike on Sept. 30, closing two terminals — Viau and Maisonneuve — that handle more than 40 per cent of the port's container traffic.

Since Oct. 31, the union launched an indefinite strike that has shut down those two terminals.

In a statement sent by his office on Monday, Federal Labour Minister Steven MacKinnon said the parties involved in this dispute must understand the "urgency of the situation and do the work necessary to reach an agreement."

"Canadians are counting on them," reads the statement.

The Chamber of Commerce of Metropolitan Montreal is urging the government to force the re-opening of operations at the Port of Montreal.