Canada moves to end port lockouts and orders binding arbitration

Date:

Share post:


OTTAWA, Ontario — Canada’s labor minister said Tuesday he is intervening to end lockouts of workers at the country’s two biggest ports.

Labor Minister Steven Mackinnon said the negotiations have reached an impasse and he is directing the Canada Industrial Relations Board to order the resumption of all operations at the ports of Vancouver and Montreal and move the talks to binding arbitration.

Port of Montreal’s workers were locked out Sunday and workers in Vancouver on the Pacific Coast have been locked out since Nov. 4.

“There is a limit to the economic self destruction that Canadians are prepared to accept,” MacKinnon said. “In the face of economic self destruction there is an obligation to intervene. As minister of labor that responsibility falls to me.”

MacKinnon said $1.3 billion Canadian dollars ($930 million) of goods is affected every day. He said it was impacting supply chains, the economy and Canada’s reputation as reliable trading partner.

Business groups had been calling for government intervention to get the flow of goods moving again.

The move to end the stoppages comes after the government stepped in to end halted operations at Canada’s two main railways in August.

MacKinnon says he hopes operations can be restored in a matter of days.

The Maritime Employers Association locked out 1,200 longshore workers at the Port of Montreal on Sunday after workers voted to reject what employers called a final contract offer. The workers were seeking raises of 20% over four years.

The job action came after port workers in British Columbia were locked out amid a labor dispute involving more than 700 longshore supervisors, resulting in a paralysis of container cargo traffic at terminals on the West Coast.



Source link

Lisa Holden
Lisa Holden
Lisa Holden is a news writer for LinkDaddy News. She writes health, sport, tech, and more. Some of her favorite topics include the latest trends in fitness and wellness, the best ways to use technology to improve your life, and the latest developments in medical research.

Recent posts

Related articles

Ford agrees to pay penalty to US government for moving too slowly on recalls

DETROIT -- Ford Motor Co. will pay a penalty of up to $165 million to the U.S....

Veteran NBC host Craig Melvin tapped to replace Hoda Kotb for the first hours of 'Today' show

NEW YORK -- Veteran NBC host and news anchor Craig Melvin has been tapped to replace Hoda...

EU slaps Meta with a nearly 800 million euro fine for engaging in 'abusive' Marketplace practices

LONDON -- European Union regulators hit Facebook parent Meta with a fine of nearly 800 million euros...

Disney Q4 bolstered by strong results from streaming, 'Inside Out 2' and 'Deadpool & Wolverine'

Disney's fourth-quarter adjusted profit beat Wall Street's expectations, bolstered by strong results from its streaming service and...

South African government says it won't help 4,000 illegal miners inside a closed mine

JOHANNESBURG -- South Africa's government says it will not help 4,000 illegal miners inside a closed mine...

Food aid interventions can curb climate change-induced hardship. But should they do more?

CHIPINGE, Zimbabwe -- Gertrude Siduna appears to have little appetite for corn farming season.Rather than prepare her...

One Tech Tip: Replacing passwords with passkeys for an easier login experience

LONDON -- If you're tired of memorizing passwords, then give passkeys a try. You might have noticed...

Australia will require social media platforms to act to prevent online harm to users

MELBOURNE, Australia -- Australia plans to require social media platforms to act to prevent online harms to...