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.”
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.”
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