The work stoppages that have shut down container imports at Canada’s busiest ports will likely be coming to an end.
Labor Minister Steven MacKinnon on Tuesday asked the Canada Industrial Relations Board to order an end to lockouts of union employees and restart of port operations at the Port of Montreal and the ports of Vancouver and Prince Rupert in British Columbia.
The order would also direct binding arbitration in the bicoastal longshore contract disputes, and extend the current collective agreements until new pacts are agreed to.
Vancouver and Montreal are ranked one and two in container handling among Canadian ports.
MacKinnon’s order also covers a long-running labor dispute at the Port of Quebec.
“The work stoppages at the ports of British Columbia and the Port of Montreal are significantly impacting our supply chains, thousands of Canadian jobs, our economy, and our reputation as a reliable trading partner,” MacKinnon said in a statement posted to X. “We simply cannot afford this uncertainty and instability at the moment.”
It’s the second time in recent months that Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s government has intervened to end a work stoppage. In August the labor board ended a lockout of union employees at CN and CPKC that briefly shut down the country’s rail network.
In Montreal, terminal operators and ocean lines represented by the Maritime Employers Association welcomed MacKinnon’s announcement after asking the government to intervene in what they said was a “total impasse” in contract negotiations with the Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE).
The union was quick to condemn Ottawa’s decision.
“This is a dark day for workers’ rights,” said CUPE Quebec President Patrick Gloutney, in a statement. “The right to bargain collectively is a constitutional right. It is not a negotiable right. In the case of the port of Montreal, it’s astounding, because the employer declared the lockout last Sunday night and immediately asked for the intervention of the government, without really negotiating.”
Neither Vancouver port officials and the British Columbia Maritime Employers Association said it was too early to say how long it may take to fully recover from the disruption. Three to four weeks per day of stoppage is considered an industry guideline.
“With today’s announcement from the Minister of Labor, our focus is on working with all partners in the port community including shipping and rail companies, labor, and marine terminals to restore full port operations and fluidity as soon as possible,” the Vancouver Fraser Port Authority said in an emailed statement.
Both CN and CPKC suspended services to the affected ports.
British Columbia ports typically handle $800 million worth of freight each day. Montreal sees $400 million in cargo flows.
The International Longshore and Warehouse Union at Vancouver did not immediately respond to a message requesting comment.
Find more articles by Stuart Chirls here.
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