Strike in Canadian west coast ports averted after hijacking

A strike by ship and dock workers at ports in western Canada planned for Monday was called off after the country’s Industry and Trade Committee found that the union’s strike notice violated labour law, the committee said in an order.

“The Board directs the union to withdraw its notice of strike,” the Canada Industrial Relations Board (CIRB) said in the order, adding that the strike violated Canadian labour law.

It stated that the union (International Longshore and Warehouse Union Ship and Dock Foremen Local 514) had not negotiated in good faith.

The union did not immediately respond to a request for comment early Monday.

The strike was called in protest against port operator DP World’s employment contracts and related issues such as changes to overtime, jobs created by automation and pension benefits.

A shipping employers’ association in the province of British Columbia in western Canada had previously stated that a coast-wide lockout could potentially lead to a halt in all freight transport by member companies throughout the province, with the exception of cruises and grain transport.

Canada’s Labour Minister Seamus O’Regan said on social media platform X on Monday that federal mediators were working with the parties to reach an agreement.

The BC Maritime Employers Association filed a complaint with the Canadian Federation of Trade Unions (CIRB) last week, alleging that the 72-hour strike called by the union was “in bad faith” and contrary to the Canadian Labour Code.

(Reuters – Reporting by Promit Mukherjee; Editing by Keith Weir)