Continue to Stand as One with the BC Port Workers!
Breakthrough in BC Port Dispute
Just after 10:00 pm PDT on July 30 the International Longshore & Warehouse Union (ILWU) Canada issued a joint statement with the British Columbia Maritime Employers Association (BCMEA) announcing they had negotiated a tentative collective agreement in the labour dispute involving 30 port terminals in BC with the "assistance of the Canada Industrial Relations Board."
The union is recommending its membership ratify the agreement. Two previous tentative agreements were not approved by port workers. No details have been released and the date for the ILWU ratification vote has not been publicly announced.
The negotiations leading to the tentative agreement were held under threat of the use of police powers against the port workers. The "assistance" of the Canada Industrial Relations Board in the negotiations was on the instructions of federal Labour Minister Seamus O'Regan who directed the board to determine if a negotiated settlement was possible stating that otherwise the board was to use the government's police powers to "impose final binding arbitration." He further stated that Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's July 19 decision to meet with "the incident response group" – a move the CBC explains is typically reserved for moments of national crisis – showed "the government is prepared for all options and eventualities."
In typical fashion which refuses to make sure the wellbeing of Canada's workforce is protected, O'Reagan said: "The state of uncertainty cannot continue. While our BC ports are operating right now, we need long-term stability for the many workers and businesses that depend on them."
A majority of the 7,400 BC port workers had voted down the previous government-proposed contract. A majority of workers said No! to the government-proposed settlement because it failed to meet one or more of their main demands. Their main demands are well known and summed up as: adjust wages to deal with price inflation, stop contracting out their work, and allow workers a say and control over the introduction of automation. In a press release July 28 the International Longshore & Warehouse Union (ILWU) Canada said workers demand an agreement that "works" for them and the industry.
In rejecting the government-proposed contract, the port workers stuck to their refusal to accept a position in life as disposable means of production for the profit of a few. They have rights to security in their employment and retirement and a standard of living acceptable to themselves and the community. Their rights cannot be taken away and could be met at this time with language in their work contract that satisfies their demands.
With tiresome regularity the port employers' association, monopoly-controlled media, certain politicians and big business groups have repeated their desire to have the Trudeau federal government criminalize the port workers' struggle and legislate a binding work contract without gaining workers' approval.
BC port workers have received much national and international support. They reject with contempt any government dictatorial manoeuvres. The demand of workers across the country is for settlements achieved through negotiations and agreements that satisfy the workers. In the case of the port workers this refers to their three main demands.
Criminalizing BC port workers and dictating terms of a contract has been met with coast to coast to coast condemnation. If the rich and their political spokespersons want to avert even greater disruptions of the economy both now and in the future, it is within their power to make sure they satisfy the claims the workers are entitled to make.
Workers are productive human beings with rights that must be met!
Continue to Stand as One with the BC Port Workers in Their Just Struggle!
This article was published in
Number 42 - July 31, 2023
Article Link:
https://cpcml.ca/WF2023/Articles/WO10421.HTM
Website: www.cpcml.ca Email: editor@cpcml.ca