lock out

A labour dispute continues to paralyze cargo shipping at British Columbia ports, and the union for locked-out workers is accusing employers of abruptly ending contract talks early. The International Longshore and Warehouse Local 514 says the BC Maritime Employers Association ended federally mandated talks with a mediator less than an hour after they began late Saturday afternoon. […]

Picket lines have gone up at six grain terminals in Metro Vancouver as about 600 workers begin a strike. Canada’s labour minister, meanwhile, says he spoke with both the employer and representatives of Grain Workers Union Local 333 on Monday, and they have agreed to resume contract negotiations alongside federal mediators. Steven MacKinnon posted the […]

Canada’s grain farmers say a strike at Metro Vancouver terminals would cripple crop exports if it were allowed to take place. The Grain Growers of Canada say in a statement that it is “deeply concerned” about a potential strike of grain workers in Metro Vancouver, since about 52 per cent of all Canadian-grown grain went […]

Traffic at Canada’s two largest railways is slated to resume today as a rail work stoppage comes to an end following a Saturday decision from the federal labour board.  Canadian National Railway Co. and Canadian Pacific Kansas City shut down railways last Thursday, locking out workers and disrupting freight traffic countrywide and commuter lines in the Toronto, […]

Air Canada pilots say they have voted overwhelmingly to approve a strike mandate, putting them in a position to walk off the job as early as Sept. 17. The Air Line Pilots Association, which represents more than 5,400 aviators at the country’s largest carrier, says the vote passed by 98 per cent on Thursday. The employees have been negotiating […]

A potential work stoppage at Canada’s two major railways this week would harm small companies — from mom-and-pop shops to outfits with scores of workers — the Canadian Federation of Independent Business says. “Any disruptions to railway operations could be devastating for small businesses, their employees and communities,” Jasmin Guenette, the group’s head of national […]

The country’s two main freight railways are ramping up the amount of cargo being turned away ahead of a potential lockout next week that could snarl supply chains and disrupt industries. Canadian National Railway Co. schedules show that, starting today, it is barring container imports that originate at ports ranging from New York City to […]

The country’s two main railways are starting to block shipments ahead of a possible strike or lockout next week. Canadian National Railway Co. says in an internal memo obtained by The Canadian Press that the company has begun to embargo some hazardous goods from the U.S. in anticipation of a work stoppage. CN says it […]

Unifor Local 594 has rejected Federated Co-op’s final offer. The result of the vote was announced Wednesday afternoon. 89% of members voted against the deal. Bittman says it was not a deal members felt comfortable accepting. “They doubled the concessions from the special mediator’s (report) and put a lot of jeopardy with the return to […]

Unifor local 594 members are voting in favour of the special mediators; recommendations that were given to both sides of the labour dispute last week. Members voted 98% in favour of the recommendations, which would have seen changes to the employee pension plan. While Unifor says they accept the recommendations, Federated Co-op says they are […]