Collective bargaining works at Pacific Coast ports
Vancouver (April 16, 2011) – A tentative collective agreement covering longshore Pacific Gateway workplaces was reached late last night.
“We are unanimously recommending the tentative agreement,” says ILWU Canada President Tom Dufresne.
The tentative agreement will be voted on by the ILWU leadership on Thursday, April 21, and then by the full ILWU Canada membership shortly thereafter.
“We are content with the agreement. It will restore stability to our workplaces and shows that free collective bargaining continues to be the most effective way to set our conditions of work,” Dufresne said.
Details of the tentative agreement will be released after the membership vote.
The ILWU Canada represents 3500 people at all Pacific Coast longshore workplaces.
Posted April 16, 2011A letter to BCMEA vice-president M. Leonard from ILWU Canada president Tom Dufresne
Dufresne addresses the union's position on an alleged work slowdown, the BCMEA's application to withdraw, and he reiterates the union's availability to bargain on February 22, 23 and 24.
A copy of Dufresne's letter is available as a pdf here.
Posted Feb 22, 2011
Strike vote results
The
results of the strike vote held January 31 and February 1, 2011, show
95% in favour of supporting strike action against the member companies
of the British Columbia Maritime Employers Association if necessary.
View
this Bulletin as a
pdf here.
Longshore workers not planning strike notice
The International Longshore and Warehouse Union Canada has no plans to issue a strike notice at this time, contrary to statements by senior staff at the British Columbia Maritime Employers Association to the effect that a strike could begin as early as Monday.
In fact, the BCMEA and the
ILWU are scheduled to be back at
the negotiating table on Monday, February 7 and it is the ILWU’s goal
to reach
an agreement that we have been in search of since bargaining started in
January
2010.
View this news release in the article
below, or read it as a
pdf here.
For information: Jim
Thompson 613.447.9592
Posted
February 3
News Release
FOR
IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Longshore
workers not planning strike
notice
Vancouver (3 February 2011) The International Longshore and Warehouse Union Canada has no plans to issue a strike notice at this time, contrary to statements by senior staff at the British Columbia Maritime Employers Association to the effect that a strike could begin as early as Monday.
In fact, the BCMEA and the ILWU are scheduled to be back at the negotiating table on Monday, February 7 and it is the ILWU’s goal to reach an agreement that we have been in search of since bargaining started in January 2010.
“It is the height of irresponsibility for the BCMEA to make these comments which will only create uncertainty, a circumstance the BCMEA claims to be trying to avoid,” said ILWU President Tom Dufresne.
Throughout the negotiations the BCMEA’s primary agenda has been to seek legislative change to curtail the free collective bargaining rights of ILWU members, rather than to get an agreement.
An independent judicial tribunal – the Canada Industrial Relations Board – ruled just a few days ago that industry-wide bargaining is optional, not mandatory. Accordingly, the BCMEA’s media statements predicting the shutdown of the entire Pacific coast industry are misleading and disingenuous.
The Board also found that the BCMEA’s legislative agenda has “infected” and “overshadowed” the negotiations.
It’s not surprising that the CIRB would come to this conclusion.
The BCMEA turned its back on a solution that was developed after months of thoughtful consideration by two highly respected and experienced labour relations experts – the Honourable Ted Hughes and Mr. John Rooney -- who served as special mediators. This reasonable solution was rejected out of hand by the BCMEA in favour of pressing its agenda to curtail the free collective bargaining rights of ILWU members.
“Irresponsible brinkmanship on the part of the BCMEA has brought us to this point. In spite of the fact that the BCMEA continues to prefer conflict over compromise, the ILWU remains ready to enter into a reasonable settlement that will bring prosperity and stability to the Pacific Gateway,” Mr. Dufresne concluded.
-30-
For information: Jim Thompson 613-447-9592
CIRB decision supports ILWU Canada and ILWU Local 514 negotiating committees
The Canada Industrial Relations Board (CIRB) has completely dismissed the BCMEA's allegations that the union had been bargaining in bad faith or failed to make every reasonable effort to reach a collective agreement.
Read the ILWU Canada negotiations update bulletin here.
Read the CIRB's decision here.
Posted January 28, 2011
Mediator's Report (dated July 30, 2010)
Read the report here.
Bargaining update - posted June 29
Greetings Brothers and Sisters,
The Union and employer committees met June 22 to 25, 2010.
The parties have not reached an agreement; therefore, the Special Mediators will now take some time to consider the position put forward by each party to resolve the outstanding issues.
Failing either party agreeing to the other's proposition they will take sometime to prepare a report. The mediators have requested a 30-day extension to their mandate. The Union has agreed. Therefore the mediators have until July 30, 2010, failing an agreement on a resolution mechanism they will report to the Minister of Labour who will have 10 days to consider the report. The Union will continue to update you.
Don't
believe rumors - Don't start
rumors.
The BCMEA and ILWU Longshore Bargaining groups met June 8, 9, 10 and 11, 2010. There has been very little progress to date but there is still an opportunity to reach agreement as the committees are scheduled to meet for a further four days June 22, 23, 24, and 25, 2010.
The mandate of the special mediators appointed by the Federal Minister of Labour expires on June 30, 2010, at which point they may write a report to the Minister.
In Solidarity
Tom Dufresne
Posted June 14
Update - May 11
The
Longshore negotiating committee
continued to meet with the employers' committee the week of May 3,
2010. There
has been some minor movement to date and we will continue to meet the
week of
May 24, 2010.
Your committee is committed to reaching a resolve but the
employer BCMEA Andy Smith and Greg Verdela are making it
increasingly
difficullt with their continued campaign to undermine the Union.
Watch for
future updates.
In
Solidarity,
Tom Dufresne
Update: March 8
The Longshore Contract Executive Board Negotiating Committee has continued to meet with the BCMEA Negotiating Committee, March 1, 2, 3, 2010.
Read the negotiating update bulletin here. [PDF file]
Posted March 8, 2010
Update: February 17
ILWU
Longshore Negotiating committee
and BCMEA continue to meet and discuss each party's respective
proposals and
demands. Although there is not much headway to date, the Parties will
meet again March 1,
2, and 3, 2010.
Members
of your ILWU committee met
with Labour Minister Lisa Raitt in Ottawa Feb. 4, 2010, to brief the
Minister
and her staff on the status of collective bargaining.
Tom Dufresne
On
Behalf of the ILWU bargaining Committee
Update: January 25
The Union and employer bargaining committees met January 12, 13, 18, and 19, 2010
The parties continue to explore each others proposals and, while there has been some discussion, there is still a long way to go.
The committees will meet again January 25 and 26.
Tom Dufresne
On Behalf of the ILWU bargaining Committee
Posted Jan. 25, 2010
Update: January 22
The ILWU Longshore Caucus is scheduled to meet January 29, 2010, at the Maritime Labour Centre.
Posted Jan. 22, 2010
Update: For the week of January 4, 2010
Negotiations to renew the ILWU Longshore - BCMEA Collective Agreement got underway this week, the Union served notice as required in November 2009.
The Parties met January 4, 5, and 6, 2010 to exchange demands and review and clarify same.
Many of the proposals tabled by the BCMEA have been introduced in previous rounds of bargaining during the last 10 years or so!
More talks are scheduled through to March 10 and further dates will be scheduled as needed.
Check back here for further updates.
It should be noted that the previous two rounds of bargaining were successfully concluded without work stoppages and there is no reason the same outcome cannot be achieved this time.
Tom Dufresne
On Behalf of the ILWU bargaining Committee
Posted Jan. 11, 2010