Union issues strike notice in Canada’s British Columbia

A dock foreman representing a union in British Columbia, Canada has levied a 72-hour strike notice against its employer DP World.

Announced by the BC Maritime Employers Association (BCMEA), the strike is set to begin on 8 July.  

The BCMEA reported that the International Longshore and Warehouse Union Ship and Dock Foremen Local 514 (ILWU Local 1514) issued the notice amidst the Canada Industrial Relations Board’s commencement of a hearing to address the complaints raised between the BCMEA and ILWU Local 514. Reuters has reported that the hearing was set to continue on 6 August.

According to Reuters, the office of the Federal Minister of Labour reported that it was monitoring the situation. The ILWU Local 514 was not immediately available for comment.

READ: US ports union suspends labour talks with strike risk looming

Negotiations between the BCMEA and ILWU Local 514 began on an industry-wide basis in November 2022. 99 per cent of almost 600 longshore foremen voted against a final offer from the employers association, reported the ILWU last month.

Last month, the German union Vereinte Dienstleistungsgewerkschaft (ver.di) called on seaport employees to hold a central strike day for approximately between 24-48 hours in Hamburg, affecting ports including the Port of Hamburg, Bremen, Bremerhaven, Brake and Emden.