Thursday, November 21, 2024

Labour minister decries ‘lack of urgency’ to solve B.C., Montreal port disputes

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VANCOUVER — Federal Labour Minister Steven MacKinnon has criticized the lack of progress in disputes disrupting Canada’s two biggest ports, saying there’s a “concerning lack of urgency” in resolving the British Columbia and Montreal stoppages.

In a statement on social media platform X, MacKinnon said he was “closely monitoring” both negotiations, which he described as “progressing at an insufficient pace” between the parties involved.

“Public services, such as ports, exist to serve the needs of Canadians,” MacKinnon’s statement said. “It is with this in mind that the federal government supports these negotiations. The parties must reach an agreement quickly.”

British Columbia’s port lockout involves a dispute between employers and foremen that spilled into its fourth day on Thursday, while Port of Montreal dockworkers have been on strike at two container terminals since Oct. 31.

Canadian retailers expressed their frustrations through their industry association, saying the sector was increasingly concerned with the lack of movement in the disruptions at Canada’s two largest ports, Vancouver and Montreal.

Matt Poirier, vice-president of federal government relations with the Retail Council of Canada, said Thursday there “doesn’t seem to be any urgency” in resolving the disputes in B.C. and Quebec and it may result in empty shelves as the holiday season approaches.

“Manufacturing, agriculture and retailers like our sector that rely on these services don’t have a say in the matter,” Poirier said. “We’re not seated at the table, yet we’re the ones that are bearing all the costs and the punishment of these delays.

Poirier described the situation as a “triple-threat” of labour disruptions, referencing the port stoppages and uncertainty at Canada Post.

Poirier said retailers could face a “staggering” affect in the holiday season “where every delivery counts,” with four days of port disruptions potentially equating to about a month in delays due to ripples in the supply chain.

He said they’re amenable to however the sides want to reach an agreement to get the ports open and moving again. “We just want it to happen, and it frankly should have happened a lot sooner than it has.”

In B.C., the lockout by the BC Maritime Employers Association at container port facilities across the province has been met with silence from both the employers and the union representing about 700 foremen.

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