Union officials have vowed to fight the Canadian government’s order to end the port disputes at its major facilities in Montreal, Vancouver and Prince Rupert.

The International Longshore and Warehouse Union Local 514, which represents supervisory longshore workers in British Columbia, said it will file a legal challenge to the minister’s orders, which impose binding arbitration on both sides of the dispute.

Steve MacKinnon, Canada’s labour minister has instructed the Canada Industrial Relations Board (CIRB) to order parties at ports in Quebec and across Canada’s West Coast to resume operations and duties, and to impose binding arbitration on the Parties in order to reach a settlement.

MacKinnon said that the disputes were affecting the handling of US$932 million worth of goods on a daily basis, hitting shipments of canola oil and forest products, among other things.

The BC Maritime Employers Association said it intends to follow the CIRB’s direction and will inform its employer membership of operational updates as soon as possible.

However, the unions have reacted angrily. Frank Morena, ILWU Local 514 president, said: “We will fight this order in the courts, and we will not forget how these employers and this federal Liberal government have attacked not only the ILWU but all of labor.”

Meanwhile, the Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE) said it is “extremely disappointed” by the government’s decision saying Ottawa is “Trampling on employees constitutionally protected rights.”

CUPE’s national president Mark Hancock added: “The MEA locks out our members and in the same breath goes crying to the Minister that their own actions are creating chaos in Canada. The Minister encourages employers to trample on workers’ fundamental rights instead of addressing their needs for work-life balance.”

The Montreal docker’s representative blamed the government for the prolonged dispute regarding the scheduling of work and creating a sustainable work/life balance for staff. “The underlying issues around scheduling have persisted because of government interference in labour negotiations.”