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.

Local port workers have until December to submit security clearance forms

Friday's Daily News provided a few more details on what local long shore workers have been told regarding the controversial security clearance issue, which recently was ruled over in court.

With the courts ruling in favour of a Industrial Labour Board ruling that the refusal to fill out the forms was to be considered an illegal strike, the ILWU which represents the workers lifted its recommendation not to fill out the forms.

For Rupert workers the process isn't quite as urgent as workers down south, the Rupert workers have until December 15th to submit their completed forms, while workers on the Vancouver waterfront must have the process complete by the February 20, refusal to submit the clearance forms would be grounds to refuse members work on the docks.

The Friday paper had more information on that as well as an update on the ongoing labour negotiations currently underway between the ILWU and the BC Maritime Employers Association.

Union tells members to get security clearance
The Daily News
Friday, January 11, 2008
Page one

The International Longshore and Warehouse Union of Canada is now telling its members to fill out their Marine Transportation Security Clearance applications.

The decision comes after the ILWU lost an appeal in federal court earlier this week in a bid to to stay the Marine Transportation Security Clearance Program until the union's concerns over it constitutional validity could be heard.

The union had been opposing the new security clearance program on the grounds that it violated the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms.

The biggest concern stemmed from the right of the Canadian government to pass on private information about port workers to foreign governments.

However, on Monday, the federal court refused to stay the program until the concerns were heard.

In dismissing the applications for interim stays, the court held that the ILWU failed to establish that they would suffer "irreparable harm" by applying for transportation security clearances.
According to the B.C. Maritime Employers Association, the court also held that the balance of convenience did not tip in favour of ILWU. The court noted that the "the public interest purpose underlying the regulations is undeniable" and that harm to the Canadian economy and port business were significant.

Without any further options, the union had to tell its membership to fill out the forms or the Canadian Industrial Relations Board would consider that the ILWU was taking illegal strike action.

Lower Mainland longshoremen working at container ports and cruise ship facilities now have until Jan. 20 to apply for the clearance, which must be in place by Feb. 20 or they could be refused work.

Prince Rupert ILWU members have until Dec. 15 to be cleared for the program.
Meanwhile, the ILWU and the B.C. Maritime Employers Association, which includes Maher Terminals, will continue conciliation talks in regards to a new contract until Jan. 18.

Local Longshore workers looking forward to better times

With the opening of the Fairview Container Port quickly approaching, members of the International Longshore and Warehouse Union are counting down the days until they can take to the docks and get to work. The Prince Rupert Local 505 of the union fell upon hard times in recent years as shipments through the old bulk cargo port dropped providing for few opportunities to get work.

With the arrival of the container terminal at Fairview those 44 former workers, 50 reactivated employees and the 175 recent hires are all waiting to see how much work they will get and when they can start. The call to work for many will depend upon frequency of shipments and how many containers are set to pass through the Rupert operation.

The Daily news featured a look at the union’s past and some details from its perspective about the opportunities that the new terminal provides in the coming days and into the future/

WORKERS AT PORT EAGERLY AWAIT THE ARRIVAL OF FIRST SHIP
By Kris Schumacher
The Daily News
Tuesday, September 4, 2007
Page one and three

Members of the International Longshore and Warehouse Union are optimistic about the opening of the Fairview Container Terminal, even if they are still unsure of all the details.

ILWU Local 505 Secretary Treasurer Tom McDonald said the union still isn’t certain about numbers when it comes to the volume of marine traffic expected at Fairview once it is fully operational. The union will be meeting with Maher Terminals in the coming days for discussions.

“It’s going to be more work, that’s all I can tell you,” said McDonald.

“They don’t have any number for the ships coming yet, they’ve got a shipping line coming, but how often, how many containers? We have no idea.”

The ILWU Local 505 has 44 members, and recently signed up 175 new people, as well as reactivated 50 members that had previous work numbers.

Each of those new recruits was subjected to a three-stage testing process, involving both written and physical exercises to ensure applicants were fully qualified for work at Fairview.

McDonald said the grand opening of Fairview is not as significant for the union as the arrival of the first ship will be. He said the union will be interested in how often it returns, and what the number of containers each month will mean in terms of working hours for employees.

“The best year ever was 1987, and it was pretty good up until the mid 90’s when things started to slow down, and lumber stated to move down south from Houston going to Vancouver,” said McDonald of Local 505’s history.

“Then, the pulp mill closed and that really ended things. After it closed, there was no work there, and the little bit of lumber from Terrace was gone also. And last year, 2006, was probably the worst year, because they closed the pellet shipment plant at Fairview. So things are looking brighter in the future, that’s for sure.”

ILWU Canada President Tom Dufresne is hopeful that the container terminal will be good for not only Prince Rupert, but the entire province of British Columbia.

“I think it’s a good opportunity in that it’ll portend more development up in that area and better, high-paying jobs to replace all the ones lost when the mill and all of that closed,” said Dufresne.

“This should allow those guys who had to move down here to Vancouver to move home, where they’ll be able to earn a decent living.”

Dufresne is confident that trade with China will continue to expand, which will in turn attract more cargo to the gateway of the West Coast. McDonald on the other hand is still unsure of the stability that’s offered in trading with countries like China.

“Things in China can effect here like all these toy recalls,” notes McDonald.

“Lots of stuff comes from China, and if consumers start to not buy Chinese stuff, not as many containers will come to North America, and that will leave us out of the picture again. A lot of things can happen.”

Future market failures and concrete numbers aside, the ILWU can look forward to positive developments for the immediate future. And if past port growths are any indicator of things to come, there’s good reason to expect quick advancements.

“The local was undergoing a recruitment program, and I think there’s enough people there now to handle the projected first year volumes,” said Dufresne.

“But if it’s anything like Delta Port, they’ll be expanding sooner than planned. And when they build the second berth in Prince Rupert, that’ll create more jobs again.

“It should be a good opportunity all around.”