Tentative deal up for vote

As we outlined here on the blog over the weekend, the two sides in the ongoing labour discussions on the west coast waterfront finally came to a solution to their differences.

On Friday the ILWU and the BCMEA put the finishing touches on a tentative agreement that will bring a sense of reassurance to the shipping community that BC's ports will remain open for business without a threat of a labour dispute, providing of course, both sides ratify the agreement.

Tuesday's Daily News provided some background on the talks and some of the fall out from the sense of uncertainty that they provided over the last two months, the story was featured as the front page headline item.

B. C. PORTS REACH TENTATIVE DEAL WITH LONGSHOREMEN
Following lengthy talks, certainty now looks to have returned to the province's waterfront.
By George T. Baker
The Daily News
Tuesday, February 17, 2009

Page one

The British Columbia Mariners Employers Association (BCMEA) and the International Longshore Workers Union local 514 have come to a tentative agreement.

According to the BCMEA vice president of marketing and information services Greg Vurdela, the deal was reached after mediation yesterday between the union and employers.

In October, federal mediators William Lewis and John Rooney were appointed by federal Minister of Labour Jean-Pierre Blackburn to help bridge a deal between the two parties but it took four and a half months to finally reach the tentative deal.

Vurdela said he could not reveal details in the agreement at this time.

"With respect to our customers and the union, who still need to ratify the agreement, we cannot comment at this point," said Vurdela.

The ILWU local 514 had voted for strike notice in late December and were legally able to strike as early as Jan. 2 but the local had avoided doing so, instead working through the negotiation phase of the collective bargaining agreement.

Should the deal be ratified, it would avert what potentially could have been a devastating strike at the Port of Prince Rupert and Vancouver.

It was estimated that 5,000 workers would have walked off the job in both cities as the 450-member dockworkers and foremen union strike would have closed the ports completely because other union members would not have crossed the picket line.

Pension payments and working conditions were the two biggest items and Vurdela said once the deal is officially signed, the details of the agreement might be released.

An industry expert, Captain Stephen Brown of the Chamber of Shipping, said that B.C. ports had lost 20 per cent of their business because of looming strike action.

The last time there was a major port strike was in 2005, which the provincial government argued was costing B.C. tens of millions of dollars per day.

Valentines and labour agreements

The season of love seemed to be the tonic for the ongoing talks between the ILWU Local 514 and the BCMEA, a note short as it is, posted on the BCMEA website today declares that a tentative agreement has been reached between the two parties who had been negotiating off an on through most of January and February.

Local 514 represents all ship and dock foremen at BC Ports, while the BCMEA is the umbrella group for the province's shipping companies and handlers on shore.

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Subject to ratification by both sides, the threat of a labour dispute on the West coast ports appears to have been lifted, the details of the settlement are to be released later on, no doubt once the two sides have had a chance to look the final product over.

The prospect of a strike/lockout had dwindled as time went on, mainly with the resumption of Parliament in Ottawa, it was expected that had there been a declaration of strike or imposition of a lock out that the Federal Government would have stepped in quickly to provide for back to work legislation.

Instead, the bargaining table proved to be the most reliable route to settlement for the two sides.

While the negotiations had been underway, the threat of a labour disruption had seen some shipping companies steer their cargo to American ports as a form of insurance, now the regular shipments can continue through BC's ports and ambitious plans to try and increase the throughput can continue on with a guaranteed workload to provide to shippers.

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Update: The Vancouver Sun provided a note on the settlement on their website on Sunday night.

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Feb 15-- B.C. ship and dock foremen reach tentative agreement

Who brings the flowers, who brings the candy?

Those two estranged partners, the ILWU and the BCMEA will gather again just before Valentine's Day, perhaps hopeful that the season of romance will help them put aside whatever differences remain in the way of a settlement of their ongoing dispute.

In an advisory to members issued today, the BCMEA advised that the two sides will meet at ten in the morning with mediators on Thursday, February12 and Friday, February13, leaving west coast ports with at least two more weeks of uncertainty and perhaps more diversions of ships to American ports while the two sides sort out their issues.

The talks have been ongoing since the first few days of January, with the threat of job action always in the back of the mind of shipping and port officials up and down the coast.

The Northern view posted a short story to their website today.

Stalemate continues in port talks between BCMEA and ILWU

With the latest update from the British Columbia Marine Employers Association posted on the net on January 23rd, it would appear that the two sides have reached a bit of an impasse as no new developments were announced, nor much in the way of progress was reported from the latest discussions.

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In a very short statement posted by the BCMEA on their website, they advise that "The BCMEA provided a comprehensive response to the Union's proposals dated January 15, 2009. Notwithstanding this effort, no further progress has been made."

With the discussions of Friday reaching a standstill, the next step will be up to mediator Jim Rooney who apparently will try to find some common ground for further sessions and contact the two parties to set up further dates.

No details on what the sticking points are in the current round of talks, or if any job action is anticipated from either the union or the management side of the table.

The union website for the ILWU provided no update or background information on the current west coast port dispute.

The uncertainty over the port situation in British Columbia has been providing for some concern among port and shipping officials over potential lost container traffic to the main container terminals in the province including the Fairview Terminal in Prince Rupert.

Port talks to resume on Thursday as concerns continue over diverted shipments

Not much has changed in the progress of talks between the two sides involved in the latest negotiations on the BC waterfront, more talks are set for Thursday to try and get over the blocking points in the negotiations.

While some progress was reported during the last round of discussions, no details were revealed as to what they may have settled and what may still be holding up progress, though it’s believed that pension and technology issues are large on the radar for the ILWU.

The BC Marine Employers Association have been sounding the alarm that all the uncertainty is resulting in diverted shipments, which they say could be a problem in the future as shippers find new ports more to their liking.

The Daily News featured an update on the situation as the front page item in Tuesday’s paper.

UNCERTAINTY STILL HURTING PORTS WHILE TALKS DRAG ON
Negotiations between employers and port workers planned to resume on Thursday
By George T. Baker
The Daily News
Tuesday, January 13, 2009
Pages one and two

Discussions between the International Longshore Workers Union local 514 and the BC Mariners Employers Association broke off Friday with the sides still at an impasse.

While further discussion is planned for Thursday, the fact that talks have not resulted in a deal is troubling for the Canadian economy.

"Some progress was made on some of the issues and some issues remain," said BCMEA spokesman Greg Vurdela.

Employers presented a new comprehensive proposal, and the union responded the next day with a counterproposal.

The union rejected BCMEA's latest offer - a three-year deal that would increase wages and benefits by 13 per cent and which would boost salary to $46 per hour.

But wages are not as much an issue as are concerns about pensions and an "unfettered" introduction of new technologies and work practices to make cargo handling more efficient - a fact that has been writ large in Prince Rupert, home to Canada's first intermodal system.

That system requires fewer services from longshoremen. Containers are swiftly grabbed from vessels and loaded onto trains to begin their journey east.

According to the BCMEA, in addition to the above mentioned issue, ILWU Local 514 is seeking the addition of a destination/departure point to the current travel time allowance provision of the col1ective agreement; addition of new benefit (accidental death and dismemberment) to the existing welfare plan; a modernization and mechanization payment for ILWU Ship Planners and dispatchers.

The stakes are pretty high, as reported in the Daily News last week, 20 per cent of all container traffic previously earmarked for Prince Rupert and Vancouver has been scooped by ports in Tacoma and Seattle due to fears of shipping halts thanks to labour unrest.

Vurdela said that both sides at the bargaining table are feeling a certain amount of pressure to get a deal done that works for all in the hope that no further traffic is averted.

“It would be obviously in the interest of both sides to get a settlement and certainly (BCMEA) acknowledges that cargo is being diverted to other West Coast ports and that is a significant issue,” said Vurdela.

While Local 514 represents 450 members in Prince Rupert and Vancouver, any possible strike or lockout action could affect more than 10-times that number of workers. There are approximately 5,200 ILWU workers who would be forced off the job if work action is taken.

Negotiations have been ongoing since April.

Decisions delayed on BC waterfront

The uncertainty on the waterfront ports of British Columbia will continue for another week, as the two sides in the current negotiations between the ILWU Local 514 and the British Columbia Maritime Employers Association could not reach an agreement during weekend talks.

The BCMEA issued a press release late Saturday advising that while some progress was made during today's talks, key outstanding issues remain to be discussed and an agreement reached upon.

With that the meetings adjourned until Thursday, January 15th when Federal Mediators and Conciliators have asked the two sides to return to the bargaining table to try and reach a agreement on the various concerns.

The supervisors who are represented by the ILWU have been in a legal strike position since January 2nd, but no job action has taken place while the talks have continued. In the interim however, cargo lines have taken to re-routing a number of vessels away from British Columbia so as not to be caught in any labour disruptions should strike action take place.

With no news of a settlement pending and negotiations still to continue, one would imagine that will continue to be the policy of the shipping lines until the situation at BC's ports becomes more clear.

The Northern View had a short item posted on their website today providing for the latest details in the negotiation process.

Management to review union proposal in ports dispute

The next meeting is planned for as early as Wednesday, but no later than Friday and when the two sides will meet, at which time the British Columbia Maritime Employers Association will provide their feedback on a proposal from the International Longshore Worker's Union.

That is where things stand today after a weekend of talks assisted by federal mediators went through Saturday and into Sunday, meetings that will hopefully keep British Columbia ports open for business.

No details of the ILWU proposal were released and a timetable for future discussion, if any isn't apparently carved in stone as the two sides review their positions on the issues that will have a major impact on the shipping industry in British Columbia.

The ILWU representing port supervisors has been in a legal strike position since January 2nd, but has put off any action while the two sides continued to talk, should they decide on job action a 72 hour warning would have to be provided.

Globe and Mail-- Labour talks continue as strike threatens B.C. ports
The Northern View-- Still no deal in port negotiations

Down to the final words in the port dispute?

The original deadline has come and gone, the two sides took a few days off over the New Years Eve/Day festivities to rest up for the next session and starting this morning at nine thirty, the two sides of the Port supervisors dispute will sit down at a negotiating table to see if they can resolve their differences without a work stoppage.

As we have outlined on the blog over the last few weeks, organizations across the North from Initiatives Prince George to the Port of Prince Rupert have weighed in with their concerns over the possibility of a shutdown of the Ports of British Columbia and in particular over what damage could be caused to the Port of Prince Rupert, having only recently become one of the talked about destinations in the world of transportation and shipping.

Progress was reported on some of the key issues as the original deadline approached on January 2nd, and from that progress came the scheduled talks of Saturday, what remains to be seen is if there is enough common ground to allow them to continue until a settlement is reached, or if the Port of Prince Rupert finds itself behind a picket line by next week.

The Daily News featured the latest developments as the front page, headline story in Friday's paper.

PORT STRIKE THREAT LOOMS AS SIDES GET AROUND TABLE
By Monica Lamb-Yorski
The Daily News
Friday, January 02, 2009

Pages one and two

Fingers are crossed that resumed negotiations taking place tomorrow between the International Longshore and Warehouse Union (ILWU), Local 514 and the British Columbia Maritime Employers Association (BCMEA) with two federally appointed mediators, will result in a settlement, avoiding a strike or lockout that would drastically affect Prince Rupert and Vancouver ports.

Local 514 has been without a contract since March 2007 and is in a legal position to issue strike notice as of Jan. 2.

If the union, representing 450 ship and dock foremen - 11 in Prince Rupert - does strike, 5,000 port workers - 200 in Prince Rupert - are expected to walk off the job in support.
Issues on the table include pension payments and working conditions.

In a telephone conversation, the office administrator at the ILWU 514 office in Vancouver said the union was not issuing further statements as of this morning, but did confirm that the two sides will resume negotiations tomorrow morning at 9:30 a.m.

According to a Canadian Press article dated Dec. 29, only grain shipments would be guaranteed in the event of a disruption, because they are protected by federal law.

"Specialty crops that move by containers are not covered by the law," the article stated.

In past strikes, workers have been legislated back to work, but with Canada's parliament temporarily suspended, federal action would not be possible until after Jan. 27 when parliament resumes.

According to Lloyd's List, the potential strike has already induced some shippers to divert cargo away from Prince Rupert to the U.S. Pacific Northwest ports of Seattle and Tacoma.
Prince Rupert Port Authority's president and CEO Don Krusel voiced concern about the potential impact of unresolved negotiations in a letter to Minister of Labour Rona Ambrose, dated Dec. 22.

"A labour disruption would likely result in the long-term loss of hard-won trade through Canadian West Coast ports, which may never be recovered. Canadian importers and exporters, already reeling from the global economic turbulence that is eroding their financial health, will be forced to find alternate, more expensive shipping routes," wrote Krusel.

"This domino effect would result in significant job losses and adversely impact families across this new northern Canadian trade corridor as well as the Canadian economy," Krusel stated.
Tim McEwan, president and CEO of Initiatives Prince George Development Corporation, echoed Krusel's concerns in a letter to Minister Ambrose, composed on New Year's Eve.

"Initiatives Prince George has very strongly supported the development of the Fairview Container Terminal [at] the Port of Prince Rupert in opening up Northern British Columbia as a new international trade corridor that will catalyze job and wealth creation," stated McKewan on behalf of the Economic Development Authority for the City of Prince George .

"Prince George's opportunities moving forward are based on the investment community's continuing confidence in Northern British Columbia corridor opportunities."

McKewan said investor confidence levels will be strongly influenced by the level of services provided by the port, which, to date has been superior.

"Volumes have been building in recent months at the Port of Prince Rupert," McKewan added.
Both Krusel and McEwan have asked the federal government to actively work to prevent disruptions at the ports in Prince Rupert and Vancouver. In addition, Krusel stated the Prince Rupert Port Authority would appreciate the federal government's "consideration for structural changes, either through essential service legislation or amalgamating the two ILWU entities into one council, to avoid similar future potential disruptions."

A telephone call to Minister Ambrose's office indicated her office will open again on Jan. 5. She could not be reached for comment.

Port talks to resume on Saturday

Talks to avert a strike on British Columbia's waterfront will resume on Saturday, as the union representing 540 foremen and the British Columbia Maritime Employers Association strive to continue the progress they made on Monday.

The labour dispute which involves issues such as pension payments and working conditions due to technological advances, had been working against a January 2nd strike deadline, a deadline which has been pushed back by local 514 of the ILWU, while negotiations continue.

A port shutdown, would affect all marine traffic except for federally protected grain shipments and even the prospect of such a disruption has already resulted in container lines diverting their vessels to American ports in order to avoid any delays.

It's that uncertainty that has the BC Marine Employers concerned over the prospect of lost volume and loss of customers.

It was the potential of a labour disruption that saw Prince Rupert Port Authority President Don Krusel drop a line to the Federal Labour Minister, outlining his concerns that any disruption to the flow of trade may have on the Port of Prince Rupert.

While the negotiators and their mediators look over their briefing books in anticipation of Saturday's discussions, local marine labour commentators have been weighing in on the topic over at hackingthemainframe, with a lively and occasionally bare knuckle bit of negotiating of their own.

Other items of interest on the topic:

Journal of Commerce--Vancouver work stoppage averted, new talks scheduled
Shipping Digest-- Canadian Shippers need to consider contingency plans
Nanaimo Daily News-- Port hopes strike can be avoided

Prince George Citizen-- IPG urging quick settlement if port strike emerges

Opinion 250 Prince George-- IPG Boss Writes Minister of Labour

Bargaining still planned in port dispute

While the clock is apparently ticking on the west coast ports of British Columbia, negotiators for the ILWU Local 514 and the British Columbia Maritime Employment Association intend to continue talks, all in a quest to secure a contract for the 450 managers.

Those managers could bring Canada's west coast ports to a standstill should they set up picket lines, a move that the Employers Association warns could have long lasting implications for the shipping industry and port ambitions for all British Columbia ports.

Wednesday on the blog we provided some background on the potential port turmoil, with details from a National Post story on the percolating labour dispute. A story which ended with the telling quote from the ILWU that "We don't really talk to reporters."

They apparently overcame their media blackout, as Friday's Daily News provided the latest in press releases and talking points from the ILWU.

SIDES CLOSE TO DELIVERING PORTS LABOUR DEAL: INSIDER

Progress is slow but both management and workers are set to get back around the table
By George T. Baker
The Daily News
Friday, December 12, 2008

Pages one and five

British Columbia Marine Employment Association president Andy Smith expects a deal to be worked out with port workers before they ever reach the picket lines.

As reported in yesterday's Daily News, ports along B.C.'s coast are facing a possible shutdown on Jan. 2 if a deal is not reached between the BCMEA and the International Longshore and Warehouse Union local 514.

A strike would effectively freeze ports along the coast, including Prince Rupert's, however Smith said talks are ongoing.

"We are out of the formal conciliation period as of midnight Tuesday and so now we are in what is called the cooling off period, but we are still meeting with the conciliators in the conciliation offices in downtown Vancouver," said Smith.

The ILWU is a labour union that primarily represents port workers from California to B.C. but also includes warehouse workers, cannery workers in Alaska and, oddly enough, bookstore workers in Portland, Oregon.

According to a report prepared by University of North Texas professor of business M. Theodore Farris, ILWU workers were locked out in the U.S. in 2002 and that labour strife cost the U.S. economy $15.6 billion, a chilling reminder of the value of ports.

Smith said bargaining currently is very slow but he was confident both sides were committed to reaching a deal.

"We'll be back at it tomorrow morning," he said.

Smith refuted claims in a National Post story that reported that the biggest issues being addressed were related to workers' pensions and working conditions.

He said some of the obstacles standing in the way of getting a deal reached were focusing on 'minor issues'.

"Look, the maritime industry and deep sea shipping is basically imploding in the wake of the global (economic) recession and we don't quite understand why we are here arm wrestling over these kinds of issues," said Smith.

Provincewide, it looks like B.C. is heading for a recession.

Labour agreement reached for West Coast ports

The BC Longshore workers union and BC Marine Employers reached a tentative labour agreement on Thursday night, after a number of weeks of comprehensive discussion on a number of interests of mutual concern.

The negotiations went into extra sessions, with the two sides returning to the bargaining table on Wednesday after reaching what they described as positive progress over last weekend.

No details were released about the terms of the three year agreement, which the two sides agreed to at 9:30 on Thursday evening.

The agreement if ratified by the ILWU membership would remove the threat of labour disruptions on the West Coast of British Columbia, which could have seen picket lines set up as early as mid February.

During the course of the negotiations, a union recommendation to its members to boycott a federally mandated security check had to be rescinded after a successful Labour Relations Board challenge in the courts. It made for an interesting sidebar to the labour oriented negotiations that had been going on in quest of a new labour agreement.

The labour negotiations also wrapped up, just as a report presented to Federal Government's Trade Minister recommended that some wholesale changes need to be made to the entire human resources structure of the West Coast ports.

While those thoughts were never part of the most recent negotiating sessions, we can all assume that they’ll become major talking points during the course of this three year agreement.
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We’ll provide a link to the full details of the agreement when one becomes available.

British Columbia Marine Employers website
International Longshore and Warehouse Union website