SIMIC

CANADA's west coast dockers have voted in favour of a strike should the union (ILWU Canada) leadership and maritime employers fail to come to terms over a new contract, reports New York's Journal of Commerce.

The union have been without a new contract since the end of March, when the five-year collective agreement came to an end.



The British Columbia Maritime Employers Association (BCMEA) said in a statement that ILWU Canada has "confirmed a mandate in favour of a strike action if needed".



The authorisation, which was voted on last week, comes one day ahead of talks on a new collective bargaining agreement covering the ports of Vancouver and Prince Rupert. The Canadian government's Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service (FMCS) will oversee the talks.



"The BCMEA remains committed to bargaining in good faith and seeking a fair and balanced deal that recognises the expertise of the waterfront workforce, while ensuring west coast ports remain competitive, resilient and affordable for all Canadians," BCMEA said.



Should the union strike, the soonest it could happen would be June 24, following a 72-hour notice that would be given at the June 21 end of the "cooling-off" period mandated by the FMCS.



Along with wage increases, the talks are centred on plans to build a new container terminal in Vancouver, the proposed Roberts Bank 2, and how potential automation might impact labour.