The union representing port workers at more than 30 ports in British Columbia, including the Vancouver Port, which is the busiest in the country, issued a 72-hour strike notice today (Wed). The International Longshore and Warehouse Union Canada says members could walk off the job on Saturday, after voting more than 99 per cent in favour of strike actions. President of ILWU Canada, Rob Ashton, says the sticking points are concerns around automation, contracting out, and wages, considering the rising cost of living.

A joint statement from Federal Labour Minister Seamus O’Regan and Transport Minister Omar Alghabra urges both sides to work out a deal at the bargaining table.
The statement says, “Everyone – the employer, the union, the mediators, and the government – understands the urgency and what is at stake for Canadians and our supply chains,”