BC Port Union issues 72-hour strike notice affecting more than 7,000 workers

The union representing dockers in British Columbia says it has issued a 72-hour strike notice and its members are ready to quit their jobs on Saturday.

The strike notice affects more than 7,000 terminal cargo loaders in 30 BC ports.

Earlier this month, its members voted 99.24 percent in favor of a strike action against the BC Maritime Employers Association, according to the International Longshore and Warehouse Union Canada (ILWU Canada).

The association represents 49 private sector employers in BC, who ship everything from cars and coal to grain and containers.

Outsourcing, port automation and cost of living are major themes behind the union’s strike announcement.

“Longshore workers kept this province and country running during the pandemic, and when Canadians were told to shelter in place, our people went to work,” a statement from ILWU Canada said.

“We have been working under difficult and dangerous conditions to ensure that the communities in which we live, and all Canadians, have the necessary supplies and personal protective equipment to defend themselves against the COVID-19 virus.”

The two sides were in a cooling-off period, but it ended on June 21, after the previous contract expired on March 30.

The Maritime Employers Association has not commented on the strike announcement, but said in a statement Tuesday that both sides continue to meet with the help of a federal mediator and negotiations are expected to take place next week.

A trade analyst has said the possible strike could have serious consequences not only for the Canadian economy, but also for the rest of the world.