A source close to negotiations over the British Columbia port strike said both sides on Wednesday received the terms of a settlement recommended by a federal mediator that could end the 12-day-old industrial action.
The delivery of the terms came after federal Labour Minister Seamus O香蕉视频直播橰egan late Tuesday instructed the mediator to send him the terms within 24 hours so he could forward them to the International Longshore and Warehouse Union Canada and the B.C. Maritime Employers Association.
The two sides have 24 hours upon receiving the recommendations to decide whether or not to ratify the agreement.
Neither side confirmed they have received the terms.
British Columbia business groups said there香蕉视频直播檚 no guarantee the strike will end quickly despite O香蕉视频直播橰egan香蕉视频直播檚 move.
The groups, including the Greater Vancouver Board of Trade, the B.C. Council of Forest Industries, the B.C. Chamber of Commerce and the Mining Association of B.C., said at an event in Vancouver on Wednesday that they are continuing to call for federal back-to-work legislation to end the strike involving 7,400 dock workers at more than 30 ports, including Canada香蕉视频直播檚 busiest, the Port of Vancouver.
香蕉视频直播淲hile we hold some hope that a deal can be reached, the reality is that if either party opts out, we will have added $1.6 billion to the trade disrupted and be back in the exact same place,香蕉视频直播� said Board of Trade president and CEO Bridgitte Anderson.
香蕉视频直播淓very single hour and every single day that this labour dispute goes on, we are putting our international reputation at risk, we are putting jobs at risk, and it香蕉视频直播檚 also hurting our economy.香蕉视频直播�
Anderson said an estimated $8.9 billion in trade has been disrupted since the strike began, and 63,000 shipping containers are 香蕉视频直播渨aiting on the water to be unloaded香蕉视频直播� at B.C. ports.
That number could balloon to 245,000 by the end of July if the strike isn香蕉视频直播檛 resolved by then, she said.
O香蕉视频直播橰egan said Tuesday the gap between the workers香蕉视频直播� and employers香蕉视频直播� positions was 香蕉视频直播渘ot sufficient to justify a continued work stoppage.香蕉视频直播�
The mediator香蕉视频直播檚 recommended terms are non-binding, and either side can vote to reject them.
B.C. Premier David Eby said at the close of a premiers香蕉视频直播� meeting in Winnipeg on Wednesday that the strike cannot drag on.
香蕉视频直播淭his isn香蕉视频直播檛 just the Port of Vancouver, it香蕉视频直播檚 the port of Saskatchewan, it香蕉视频直播檚 the port of Alberta and it香蕉视频直播檚 the port of Manitoba,香蕉视频直播� Eby said. 香蕉视频直播淪o it香蕉视频直播檚 critically important infrastructure for Canadians, for people who go to work in industries where those goods are exported globally.
香蕉视频直播淚t has a profoundly damaging impact across the country on workers who are also trying to feed their families right now.香蕉视频直播�
But Eby also said the union香蕉视频直播檚 concerns about inflation and rising costs of living are real, and there was a need for striking port workers to 香蕉视频直播渂e treated fairly.香蕉视频直播�
Saskatchewan Premier Scott Moe said his province香蕉视频直播檚 potash customers could soon take their business to Russia and Belarus if the dispute continues.
香蕉视频直播淭oday, it might be easier for you to get a ton of Russian potash fertilizer than it is to get a ton of Saskatchewan potash fertilizer,香蕉视频直播� Moe said. 香蕉视频直播淪o the impacts are much broader than what香蕉视频直播檚 happening just at the port there.香蕉视频直播�
On Tuesday, Nutrien Ltd. said it had curtailed production at its Cory potash mine in Saskatchewan due to the strike.
Alberta Premier Danielle Smith said if businesses can香蕉视频直播檛 get their goods to markets because of the strike, Canada could start to lose international customers.
Michael Goehring, president and CEO of the Mining Association of B.C., said some customers from foreign markets have been asking about the port strike and when it will end.
Goehring said some member mines have diverted shipments to other ports, while others resort to stockpiling products on-site or in railcars.
香蕉视频直播淭here are physical and financial limits to how long mines can continue to do this,香蕉视频直播� he said. 香蕉视频直播� 香蕉视频直播� If the strike continues for much longer, some of our members will have to start planning for shutdowns and temporary layoffs.香蕉视频直播�
The B.C. business groups on Wednesday launched a real-time 香蕉视频直播淧ort Shutdown Calculator香蕉视频直播� to show what they say is the cumulative cost of the strike.
Fiona Famulak, president and CEO of the B.C. Chamber of Commerce, said Canadian consumers would begin feeling the wider impact of the shutdown 香蕉视频直播渋n a matter of days香蕉视频直播� if they did not already.
香蕉视频直播淲e have an affordability issue here in British Columbia,香蕉视频直播� Famulak said. 香蕉视频直播淭he strike is going to make that worse. We have a housing issue here in British Columbia, and the delay on raw materials whether it香蕉视频直播檚 steel for rebar, whether it香蕉视频直播檚 component parts, whether it香蕉视频直播檚 hard goods, will delay construction schedules.
香蕉视频直播淚t will delay delivery of industrial, commercial and residential residences. It will result probably in higher cost to renters and higher cost to those looking to purchase.香蕉视频直播�
READ ALSO:
