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Maritime employers in British Columbia say they will prepare to close dock jobs by Monday as unions issue strike notices, a move that will shut down container business in Canada's busiest port. The Maritime Employers' Association of British Columbia (BCMEA) said in a statement that it had received a 72-hour strike notice issued by 514 branches of the International Docks and Warehouse Union (Local 514) representing about 730 dock workers, which said they would implement a coast-wide blockade as a defensive measure in response to Local 514's Action.

The British Columbia Maritime Employers Association (BCMEA) stated: “The blockade will shut down all freight operations of its member companies across the province, but cruise and food ship operations will not be affected; and further clarifies that making this decision is not a light move because Local 514 is ongoing The tough stance and response to the re-issuing of the strike notice has not yet scheduled a negotiating session this weekend to avoid a strike, although unions have been accused of malicious bargaining on three previous occasions.

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If the Port of Vancouver is forced to close, it will add to the pressure on container capacity on the East Coast. Currently, the Port of Montreal has two container docks shut down, paralyzing half of the port's capacity, the Canadian Labour Relations Board (CIRB) ruled last week that Local 514 held a strike ballot against the DP World Centerm facility in Vancouver In malicious haggling, union workers fear the introduction of semi-automatic cranes could alter existing staffing configurations.

The coastal blockade or strike will result in the closure of Dubai Global Port Group's Fairview Container Terminal in Prince Rupert Port, and GCT Deltaport and Vanterm docks in Vancouver, affecting a total of 500,000 standard cases on the North American West Coast. Four container ships are expected to arrive in Port Vancouver next week, and three more are expected to arrive in Port Rupert, according to data from S&P Global Business Journal.

Shutdowns or strikes in Vancouver and Port of Prince Ruppert will further increase pressure on Seattle and Port Tacoma. These ports have received some of the flow of cargo due to a brief strike in the eastern and Gulf of Mexico, resulting in higher throughput than expected. Local 514 has not reached a new collective agreement with employers since March 2023; BCMEA's “balanced and competitive final offer” includes a 19.2% salary increase over four years, with an expected average annual salary of C$293,617, and says the offer will significantly increase workers' pay and benefits without requiring a union Take a step.

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