About 6,500 longshore workers were locked out of ports across British Columbia this morning. Overnight negotiations with a federal mediator between the union and employer representatives continued into the morning.
The lockout, effective at 8:00 a.m. local time on May 30, effectively halts most operations at Vancouver, Canada’s largest port, and smaller facilities in the province including Prince Rupert. Vancouver alone handles about C$200 billion (the Canadian dollar equals US$0.74) in trade annually or more than C$500 million per day.
Ships had already begun diverting from Vancouver this week.
The British Columbia Maritime Employers Association (BCMEA) initiated the lockout following slowdowns by International Longshore and Warehouse Union (ILWU)-Canada at two of Vancouver’s terminals, Deltaport and Vanterm.
The last contract between the ILWU longshore workers and the BCMEA expired in 2018. The ILWU is demanding that concerns about the effects of automation at the ports be addressed in the forthcoming contract.
Both sides are currently in a media blackout amid the current round of talks.
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The Signal at Chattanooga Choo Choo • Chattanooga, TN Register NowThe night before F3. FreightTech100 companies honored. FreightTech 25 and Shipper of Choice winners revealed live. Cocktail reception into dinner and live music - 300 industry leaders in one purpose-built room.
The Signal at Chattanooga Choo Choo • Chattanooga, TN Register NowIndustry-defining keynotes, rapid-fire technology demos, and industry leaders networking in experiences across Chattanooga - plus the inaugural F3 Awards Dinner featuring the FreightTech and Shipper of Choice reveals.
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