A Helijet helicopter preparing to land at the harbour passes by cranes used to load and unload container ships at the DP World marine terminal at Port Metro Vancouver, in Vancouver, B.C., on Friday March 16, 2018. Longshore workers have issued 72-hour strike notice that could see two Port of Vancouver container terminals behind picket lines by Monday.
Image Credit: THE CANADIAN PRESS/Darryl Dyck
May 26, 2019 - 10:30 AM
VANCOUVER - Longshore workers have issued 72-hour strike notice that could see two Port of Vancouver container terminals behind picket lines by Monday.
Jeff Scott, chair of the B.C. Maritime Employers Association, says they've been informed that Global Container Terminals in Delta and Vancouver could be behind picket lines on Monday morning.
The dispute involves about 6,000 members of the International Longshore & Warehouse Union Canada, who voted 98.4 per cent in favour of supporting strike action earlier this month.
The union couldn't be reached for comment.
Scott says both sides remain at the bargaining table with the help of federal mediation services in the hope of avoiding a labour dispute because they recognize the significant economic impact that it could cause.
He says the Port of Vancouver did an analysis on a possible labour disruption and found that the affect on cargo would be about $540 million a day.
The employers association represents more than 30 member companies at B.C. ports and Scott says a strike would affect as many as 34,000 workers.
The association acts on behalf of the terminal operators, shipping lines and its member companies.
News from © The Canadian Press, 2019