Canadian gov’t intervenes to end work stoppages at major ports

OTTAWA, Nov. 12 (Xinhua) — Canada’s federal government on Tuesday stepped in to end the work stoppages and labor disputes at the country’s major ports including the largest two, Vancouver and Montreal.
Labour Minister Steven MacKinnon announced in a press conference the binding arbitration measure, directing the Canada Industrial Relations Board to order the resumption of all operations at the ports.
MacKinnon said he has also directed the board to extend the terms of the existing collective agreements until new ones are reached.
The work stoppages at the ports in British Columbia and Montreal are significantly impacting supply chains, thousands of jobs, and Canada’s reputation as a reliable trading partner, the minister said.
The Maritime Employers Association locked out 1,200 longshore workers at the Port of Montreal on Sunday night after workers voted to reject the contract offer.
The strike action came after the B.C. Maritime Employers Association locked out more than 730 dock foremen across the west coast ports last week.
These work stoppages followed the 13-day strike at the B.C. ports in July 2023, which disrupted the flow of goods into Canada, resulting in 10.7 billion Canadian dollars (7.7 billion U.S. dollars) worth of cargo being held up and diverted elsewhere. ■