Possible port strike in BC will spare cruise ships, employers say
a possible British Columbia dockers’ strike won’t disrupt cruise ships docked in Vancouver, Prince Rupert or Vancouver Island, employers say.
The BC Maritime Employers Association says it and the union representing cargo shippers have “confirmed” that cruise ships will continue to be serviced if a strike breaks out Saturday morning.
The association says in a statement that the waiver was a result of the federal “mediation and mediation process.”
The International Longshore and Warehouse Union Canada issued a 72-hour strike notice on Wednesday and is expected to strike at 8 a.m. Saturday unless an agreement is reached or progress is made in negotiations.
The Vancouver Fraser Port Authority’s schedule for Friday shows three cruise ships docked: Royal Caribbean’s Radiance of the Seas, Seabourn’s Odyssey and Cunard’s Queen Elizabeth.
At the same time, the Greater Victoria Harbor Authority is also displaying three cruise ships in port: The Royal Princess, The Norwegian Bliss, and Holland America’s Eurodam.
The strike notice issued Wednesday affects about 7,400 terminal freight loaders and 49 of the county’s waterfront employers in more than 30 BC. ports.
The union says outsourcing, port automation and cost of living are key issues in the dispute.
Federal ministers and British Columbia Prime Minister David Eby have urged both sides to find a way to avoid job strikes, with Eby saying on Wednesday he was “deeply concerned” about the potential impact of a strike.
