BC Port Workers' Strike
Port Workers Hold Powerful Rally
Striking Vancouver port workers along with allies and supporters gathered downtown on July 9 to voice their determination to defend their rights and claims on the value they produce. Port workers from the U.S. west coast, Australia and New Zealand came to express their support in the fight against price inflation, contracting out and out-of-control automation of the ports.
Speakers at the rally denounced business and government leaders who are calling for legislation to end the strike. They said this encouraged the port employers to refuse to negotiate and simply wait for legislation to be imposed. If certain business and government officials were serious about ending the dispute they would tell port employers to negotiate a just settlement with their striking workers. Port workers are facing very real problems of price inflation, contracting out and automation that need to be resolved through negotiating a just collective agreement not dictate.
Port workers from Australia and New Zealand
bring their support to the rally, July 9, 2023
To reach a just settlement of their demands in the face of the intransigence on the part of port employers, port workers say they have no choice but to fight with industrial action. If you don't fight, you can't win, a speaker said to cheers from the port workers and their supporters. Chants rang out for employers to negotiate don't legislate, and if you don't fight you can't win.
To prolonged applause, union representatives of U.S. west coast port workers told the rally that U.S. dock workers have pledged not to unload Canadian-bound cargo in firm solidarity with striking workers in Canada. Other participants from across Canada and around the world also expressed their support and solidarity with the striking BC port workers. They pointed out that everywhere in the current anti-social offensive people are facing difficult working and social conditions that need to be met and resolved with a firm united response.
Canadians are rallying behind BC port workers and demand port employers meet the concerns of those who do the work. Intransigence on the part of employers and hiding behind the police power of governments will not resolve the problems workers face and in fact will create conditions for even worse ongoing disruptions.
(Photos: ILWU, MUA, Liuna, S. Skidmore)
This article was published in
Number 36 - July 12, 2023
Article Link:
https://cpcml.ca/WF2023/Articles/WO10361.HTM
Website: www.cpcml.ca Email: editor@cpcml.ca