BC Maritime Employers Association (BCMEA), which employs port workers in British Columbia, Canada, is threatening to close all ports in the province in response to strike action called by the International Longshore and Warehouse Union (ILWU) for 8 am local time today (4 November).

ILWU, on behalf of on behalf of the Longshore Locals and Local 514 Ship & Dock Foremen (ILWU Local 514), gave notice of the strike on 1 November.

The BCMEA and ILWU Local 514 have been engaged in bargaining for nearly two years to renew their collective agreement that expired in March 2023.

BCMEA said: “The BCMEA is deeply disappointed with ILWU Local 514’s decision to once again throw Canada’s supply chain into uncertainty and instability. ILWU Local 514’s strike action will have repercussions across British Columbia’s waterfront operations, and strike activity can easily escalate, including a complete withdrawal of labour without notice. This escalation follows months of labour instability across rail, air, grain and port sectors and compounds Canada’s growing reputation as an unreliable trading partner. This level of uncertainty and chaos is untenable for the waterfront industry and Canada’s supply chain.”

The strike notice was issued two days after the BCMEA provided a final offer to ILWU Local 514 to conclude negotiations.

ILWU Local 514’s second strike notice follows a needlessly tumultuous strike attempt in July 2024, where shortly after the Canada Industrial Relations Board (CIRB) hearing began, ILWU Local 514 chose to issue a strike notice to DP World (Canada) Inc.

The CIRB found that the union strike vote and strike notice constituted ILWU Local 514 bargaining in bad faith, and was therefore illegal. In total, the CIRB has determined that ILWU Local 514 has bargained in bad faith on three occasions during this round of bargaining. Reacting to BCMEA’s lockout threat, ILWU Local 514 president Frank Morena said BCMEA is overreacting, claiming the union told BCMEA that its planned strike involved only limited tasks and a refusal to implement technological changes, unless a new collective agreement in place.

Morena said: “ILWU Local 414 members are extremely angry that not only has the BCMEA continuously refused to bargain on the major issues, including manning, but are now threatening to close the entire waterfront with a full-scale lockout in their attempt to force the federal government to intervene in the dispute.”