Local 514 Bargaining Update
Please be advised that in response to ILWU Local 514’s announced strike action at DP World (Canada) Inc. commencing on July 8, 2024, at or about 04:30 pm, the BCMEA has requested urgent interim intervention by the CIRB. Specifically it has asked the Board to declare proposals and strike action of ILWU Local 514 as contrary to the Code. If interim relief is granted, ILWU Local 514’s strike action will be prevented. The CIRB has scheduled case management on the morning of Sunday, July 7th, to address this request.
This urgent application concerns the ongoing adjudication of the BCMEA’s complaint regarding these matters, which was filed on May 10, 2024. Rather than pursue resolution through the existing CIRB hearing into this matter, ILWU Local 514 has needlessly escalated the dispute by serving strike notice against DP World (Canada) Inc.
We hope this matter will be resolved expeditiously at the CIRB. However, in the event that the CIRB allows the strike to proceed, the BCMEA believes it has no choice but to take defensive action in the form of an industry-wide lockout. Accordingly, the BCMEA has issued formal notice to ILWU Local 514 of its intention to defensively lock out all ILWU Local 514 members on July 9, 2024, at 04:30pm. This coastwide lockout, should it be required, will shut down all cargo operations of BCMEA Member companies across the province, but will not affect cruise operations nor interrupt longshoring operations on grain vessels.
The BCMEA did not arrive at this decision lightly as it followed significant discussion and consideration of ILWU Local 514’s continued conduct at the bargaining table and their provocative decision to proceed with strike action despite ongoing litigation concerning their conduct.
The BCMEA understands that our ports and the entire supply chain require certainty and predictability to operate. A strike at one terminal has repercussions across the Waterfront. Further, once a strike begins, strike activity is not limited to the actions contained in the strike notice, but can easily spread and escalate without further notice, including a complete withdrawal of labour. This level of uncertainty and chaos is untenable for the Waterfront industry and Canada’s supply chain.
Since November 2022, the BCMEA and ILWU Local 514 have been negotiating on an industry-wide basis, an approach that is aligned with a long-standing practice for the BCMEA-ILWU bargaining process. Bargaining on an industry basis fosters stability and certainty. In targeting DP World (Canada) Inc., ILWU Local 514 is unfairly isolating a single terminal operator while many industry-wide issues remain unresolved.
The BCMEA has previously offered a 19.2% wage increase, which could have enhanced the median foreperson compensation from $246,323 to $293,617 annually, not including benefits and pension. The four-year proposal was in line with the negotiated 2023 longshore settlement and included:
- On average, eligible workers would have received a cumulative lump sum payment of approximately $15,000, inclusive of a signing bonus and retroactive pay increases.
- An increased retirement benefit to $108,750, an increase of 16%. This lump-sum retirement benefit is over and above employees’ pension entitlements.
B.C.’s waterfront workforce continues to grow, with well-paying foreperson jobs increasing by 73% — 308 net new foreperson jobs — since 2010. 182 new forepersons have been recruited since 2020, with more recruitments underway and forecasted for the future.
Despite the uncertainty and unpredictability that ILWU Local 514’s notice of strike action has caused, the BCMEA remains committed to achieving a fair settlement that is beneficial for the 730 hardworking forepersons and their families, while also ensuring West Coast ports remain reliable, competitive, and affordable for all Canadians. We call on ILWU Local 514 to continue to engage with us at the CIRB, where we sincerely believe a settlement can be reached without devastating impacts to Canadians.
We will continue to provide updates as appropriate.
Last updated: July 6 2024, 4:30 PT