Canadian ILWU reach tentative agreement with BC employers

20 Apr 2011 - Port Planning

• ILWU Canada agree tentative bargaining agreement with BC port employers

• ILWU leaders to vote on temporary solution Thursday

• Two parties unable to agree waterfront contract for Canada's Pacific Coast after a year of negotiations

The negotiating parties of the British Columbia Maritime Employers Association (BCMEA) and the International Longshore and Warehouse Union (ILWU) Canada, have reached a tentative collective bargaining agreement covering the ports on Canada's Pacific Coast.

Key members of the Canadian ILWU are to vote on the temporary solution tomorrow, with the 3,500 strong union members to vote soon after.

"We are unanimously recommending the tentative agreement," said ILWU Canada President Tom Dufresne, via the unions website.

The two parties have been at loggerheads for over a year, with negotiations stalling continiously as the two try to come to an agreement over the contract for operations on the waterfront of Canada's Pacific Coast.

The most recent contract expired on March 31st 2010, with details for the long over due new contract set to be released after the members vote.

PTI spoke to key figures from both parties in February, who were both adamant that their opposing organisations were approaching the bargaining table with unsuitable and unreasonable offers for their respective members.

As PTI reported recently, negotiations have stalled due to the Canadian ILWU being unhappy with the rise in foreign ownership and investment within Canada's waterfront operations. However, the BCMEA believe this issue is a smokescreen to deflect public sentiment away from the real issue, that is to agree better wages and benefits for ILWU members.