Thousands of port workers across British Columbia are set to resume strike activity after failing to ratify a tentative deal that was reached through federal mediation.
More than 7,400 workers from the International Longshore and Warehouse Union (ILWU) had walked off the job from July 1 until July 13 over issues like port automation, outside contracting and the increasing cost of living.
A tentative agreement had been reached between the ILWU and their employer, the B.C. Maritime Employers Association (BCMEA), on July 13 after Labour Minister Seamus O’Regan asked for terms to end the strike, drawn up by a federal mediator.
However, the BCMEA said in a statement on Tuesday that strike activity is set to resume at 4:30 p.m. PT due to ILWU’s internal caucus rejecting the tentative agreement and not ratifying it.
“Both the BCMEA and ILWU recommended ratification of the tentative settlement to their respective memberships,” reads the statement. “The BCMEA ratified the agreement on July 13.”
The BCMEA said that the mediated agreement included “considerable” wage and benefit hikes, as well as provisions addressing the union’s concerns around outside contracting and worker retention.
The union was not immediately available for comment.
More to come.
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