This content was published on Jul 19, 2023 – 18:43
TORONTO (Canada), July 19 (EFE). Canada’s Labor Minister, Seamus O’Regan, on Wednesday called illegal the strike restarting Canadian dockworkers at Canada’s Pacific ports and told workers to return to their jobs.
O’Regan noted on Twitter that the independent body that regulates labor relations in the country, the Canadian Industrial Relations Board (CIRB), announced on Wednesday that the union representing Canadian longshoremen did not provide 72 hours’ notice before announcing the strike.
Later, O’Regan and Canadian Transport Minister Omar Al-Ghabra said in a joint statement that the Canadian government is being patient during the labor dispute, but the country cannot afford more problems in Pacific ports.
“Workers and businesses across Canada could not afford to face more hardships like the one they went through last week. Therefore, we are considering all options. We will say something more tomorrow,” they said.
The Canadian Manufacturers and Exporters Association has estimated that the strike is affecting the movement of products worth C$500 million (340 million euros) each day.
Figures released on Wednesday indicate that some 63,000 containers are waiting to be processed as a result of the strike.
On July 13, the International Confederation Longshore and Warehouse Canada (ILWUC) and employers in the industry, the British Columbia Marine Employers Association (BCMEA), announced a temporary agreement to end a strike that dockworkers began on July 1.
About 7,400 workers have gone on strike after negotiating without results for months to sign a new collective agreement that the International Federation of Migrant Workers wants to include wage increases and job security guarantees.
But Tuesday night, unexpectedly, ILWUC resumed striking at about 30 ports on Canada’s Pacific coast, including Vancouver, where 25% of Canada’s bilateral trade passes.
The International Languages Union (ILWUC) justified the decision because employers did not meet their demands for compensation for the high cost of living. EFE
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