VANCOUVER – Talks between the two sides in an ongoing port strike in British Columbia have resumed, ending a days-long stretch away from the negotiating table.
The BC Maritime Employers Association issued a statement on Saturday evening saying it met with the International Longshore and Warehouse Union Canada and proposed a committee and independent arbitrator to make recommendations related to the key sticking points around maintenance work.
The meeting took place a day before the union is expected to hold a rally in Vancouver in support of the 7,400 workers who walked off the job on Canada Day, in part because the union says its jurisdiction over maintenance is being eroded by the use of contractors.
Talks broke off on Monday, and the association has accused the union of trying to “aggressively expand” its control of maintenance duties beyond what has been established for decades.
In its latest statement, the association says an arbitrator could make non-binding recommendations to help parties consider whether union members could perform some or all of the maintenance work in question. It says the union rejected that idea.
The union did not immediately release its position on the meeting but has previously accused employers of waiting for the federal government to do their “dirty work” instead of negotiating.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published July 8, 2023
