The federal government is urging both sides in the British Columbia port dispute to return to the table after Saturday91裸聊视频檚 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 91裸聊视频渕ust understand the urgency of the situation.91裸聊视频�
The statement also urged both sides to 91裸聊视频渄o the work necessary to reach an agreement.91裸聊视频�
91裸聊视频淐anadians are counting on them,91裸聊视频� the statement from MacKinnon91裸聊视频檚 office said.
The lockout at B.C. container terminals including those in Vancouver 91裸聊视频� Canada91裸聊视频檚 largest port 91裸聊视频� 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 91裸聊视频渇inal offer91裸聊视频� 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 91裸聊视频渃oncerning lack of urgency91裸聊视频� to resolve the dispute.
But the union said the talks lasted 91裸聊视频渓ess than one hour91裸聊视频� Saturday without resolution, accusing the employers of cutting them off.
The employers denied ending the talks, saying the mediator concluded the discussions after 91裸聊视频渢here was no progress made91裸聊视频� in talks conducted separately with the association and the union.
91裸聊视频淭he BCMEA went into the meeting with open minds and seeking to achieve a negotiated settlement at the bargaining table,91裸聊视频� a statement from the employers said.
91裸聊视频淚n a sincere effort to bring these drawn-out negotiations to a close, the BCMEA provided a competitive offer to ILWU Local 514 91裸聊视频� the offer did not require any concessions from the union and, if accepted, would have ended this dispute.91裸聊视频�
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 World91裸聊视频檚 Centerm in Vancouver.
After talks broke off, the union accused the employers of 91裸聊视频渟howing flagrant disregard for the seriousness of their lockout.91裸聊视频�
Local 514 president Frank Morena said in a statement on Saturday that the union is 91裸聊视频渃alling on the actual individual employers who run the terminals to order their bargaining agent 91裸聊视频� the BCMEA 91裸聊视频� to get back to the table.91裸聊视频�
91裸聊视频淲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,91裸聊视频� 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 91裸聊视频渕ake recommendations for settlement of the dispute or the difference.91裸聊视频�
In addition, Section 107 of the Code gives the minister additional powers to take action that 91裸聊视频渟eem likely to maintain or secure industrial peace and to promote conditions favourable to the settlement of industrial disputes,91裸聊视频� and could direct the Canada Industrial Relations Board 91裸聊视频渢o do such things as the Minister deems necessary.91裸聊视频�
Liam McHugh-Russell, assistant professor at Schulich School of Law at Dalhousie University, said Section 107 91裸聊视频渋s very vague about what it allows a minister to do.91裸聊视频�
91裸聊视频淎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,91裸聊视频� he said.
91裸聊视频淢aybe the minister will try to do that. It remains to be seen.91裸聊视频�
The other option if mediated talks fail 91裸聊视频� beyond the parties reaching a solution on their own 91裸聊视频� 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, Canada91裸聊视频檚 second-largest port.
The employers there locked out almost 1,200 workers on Sunday night after a 91裸聊视频渇inal91裸聊视频� offer was not accepted, greatly reducing operations.
