Members of the Unifor-Vancouver Container Truckers’ Association (VCTA) voted March 8 to reject a tentative agreement with Port Metro Vancouver (PMV) that had been reached March 6 with the involvement of labour mediator Vince Ready.
Unifor is joining the non-unionized United Truckers Association (UTA) in protesting long lineups and wait times at PMV.
“Our members have spoken,” said Unifor-VCTA president Paul Johal.
“The deal was too little, too late.”
Under normal conditions, around 2,000 truck drivers work at PMV. With both the UTA and Unifor-VCTA on strike, only 600 truck drivers will remain.
PMV said it is taking immediate steps to increase safety for those truckers who are still on the job, while still working with the federal and provincial governments to address the concerns of all truckers.
PMV is seeking to continue and expand an injunction intended to keep protestors of its property, and will continue to place security staff inside working trucks to assist the drivers and record any unusual incidents witnessed.
Robin Silvester, PMV president and CEO, said that the purpose of the appointment of the labour mediator was to conduct a review of the industry that is “clearly not functioning well for all stakeholders. He said the port is not the truckers’ employer and therefore has no involvement with contract relationships.
“We agree that truckers should be paid a fair wage, but bargaining relating to employment and contract relationships can only be done with the employer or the parties to the contract,” he said.
PMV estimates the disruption caused by truckers walking off the job is around $885 million per week.
“Goods are not moving and that is bad news for consumers and businesses,” Silvester said.
- With files from Jen St. Denis
