Canada's labor minister has announced his intervention to put an end to the lockouts of workers at the country's two largest ports, the Port of Vancouver and the Port of Montreal. The negotiations between the workers and the employers have hit a standstill, prompting the minister to direct the Canada Industrial Relations Board to order the resumption of all operations at the ports and move the discussions to binding arbitration.
The lockout of workers at the Port of Montreal occurred on Sunday, while the workers in Vancouver have been locked out since November 4th. The labor minister emphasized the economic impact of these stoppages, citing that $1.3 billion Canadian dollars ($930 million) worth of goods are affected daily. This disruption has not only impacted supply chains but also tarnished Canada's reputation as a reliable trading partner.
Business groups had been urging the government to intervene to restore the flow of goods through the ports. This move follows the government's previous intervention to resolve halted operations at Canada's main railways in August.
The Maritime Employers Association locked out 1,200 longshore workers at the Port of Montreal after the workers rejected the employers' final contract offer. The workers were seeking a 20% raise over four years. In British Columbia, over 700 longshore supervisors were also locked out, leading to a halt in container cargo traffic at terminals on the West Coast.
Labor Minister MacKinnon expressed hope that operations at the ports could be restored in a matter of days, emphasizing the need to prevent further economic damage and ensure the smooth functioning of Canada's trade activities.
