The federal government is urging both sides in the British Columbia port dispute to return to the table after Saturday香蕉视频直播檚 collapse of mediated talks to end the lockout at container terminals that has entered its second week.
A statement issued by the office of federal Labour Minister Steven MacKinnon on Monday said both the port employers and the union representing more than 700 longshore supervisors 香蕉视频直播渕ust understand the urgency of the situation.香蕉视频直播�
The statement also urged both sides to 香蕉视频直播渄o the work necessary to reach an agreement.香蕉视频直播�
香蕉视频直播淐anadians are counting on them,香蕉视频直播� the statement from MacKinnon香蕉视频直播檚 office said.
The lockout at B.C. container terminals including those in Vancouver 香蕉视频直播� Canada香蕉视频直播檚 largest port 香蕉视频直播� began last week after the BC Maritime Employers Association said members of International Longshore and Warehouse Union Ship and Dock Foremen Local 514 began strike activity in response to a 香蕉视频直播渇inal offer香蕉视频直播� from employers.
The union said the plan was only for an overtime ban and a refusal to implement automation technology, calling the provincewide lockout a reckless overreaction.
On Saturday, the two sides began what was scheduled to be up to three days of mediated talks, after MacKinnon spoke to both sides and said on social media that there was a 香蕉视频直播渃oncerning lack of urgency香蕉视频直播� to resolve the dispute.
But the union said the talks lasted 香蕉视频直播渓ess than one hour香蕉视频直播� Saturday without resolution, accusing the employers of cutting them off.
The employers denied ending the talks, saying the mediator concluded the discussions after 香蕉视频直播渢here was no progress made香蕉视频直播� in talks conducted separately with the association and the union.
香蕉视频直播淭he BCMEA went into the meeting with open minds and seeking to achieve a negotiated settlement at the bargaining table,香蕉视频直播� a statement from the employers said.
香蕉视频直播淚n a sincere effort to bring these drawn-out negotiations to a close, the BCMEA provided a competitive offer to ILWU Local 514 香蕉视频直播� the offer did not require any concessions from the union and, if accepted, would have ended this dispute.香蕉视频直播�
The employers said the offer includes a 19.2 per cent wage increase over a four-year term along with an average lump sum payment of $21,000 per qualified worker, but the union said it did not address staffing levels given the advent of port automation technology in terminals such as DP World香蕉视频直播檚 Centerm in Vancouver.
After talks broke off, the union accused the employers of 香蕉视频直播渟howing flagrant disregard for the seriousness of their lockout.香蕉视频直播�
Local 514 president Frank Morena said in a statement on Saturday that the union is 香蕉视频直播渃alling on the actual individual employers who run the terminals to order their bargaining agent 香蕉视频直播� the BCMEA 香蕉视频直播� to get back to the table.香蕉视频直播�
香蕉视频直播淲e believe the individual employers who actually run the terminals need to step up and order their bargaining agent to get back to the table and start negotiations and stop the confrontation,香蕉视频直播� Morena said.
No further talks are currently scheduled.
According to the Canada Labour Code, the labour minister or either party in a dispute can request a mediator to 香蕉视频直播渕ake recommendations for settlement of the dispute or the difference.香蕉视频直播�
In addition, Section 107 of the Code gives the minister additional powers to take action that 香蕉视频直播渟eem likely to maintain or secure industrial peace and to promote conditions favourable to the settlement of industrial disputes,香蕉视频直播� and could direct the Canada Industrial Relations Board 香蕉视频直播渢o do such things as the Minister deems necessary.香蕉视频直播�
Liam McHugh-Russell, assistant professor at Schulich School of Law at Dalhousie University, said Section 107 香蕉视频直播渋s very vague about what it allows a minister to do.香蕉视频直播�
香蕉视频直播淎ll it says is that the minister can refer a problem and a solution to the Labour Board. They can ask the Labour Board to try and solve the problem,香蕉视频直播� he said.
香蕉视频直播淢aybe the minister will try to do that. It remains to be seen.香蕉视频直播�
The other option if mediated talks fail 香蕉视频直播� beyond the parties reaching a solution on their own 香蕉视频直播� would be a legislated return to work, which would be an exception to the normal way labour negotiations operate under the Labour Code.
Parliament is not scheduled to sit this week and will return on Nov. 18.
The labour strife at B.C. ports is happening at the same time another dispute is disrupting Montreal, Canada香蕉视频直播檚 second-largest port.
The employers there locked out almost 1,200 workers on Sunday night after a 香蕉视频直播渇inal香蕉视频直播� offer was not accepted, greatly reducing operations.
