NDP leader Jagmeet Singh announced that the NDP would not provide the unanimous consent required to expedite any federal legislation to resolve the strike involving British Columbia port workers. .Over the past 50 years, Parliament has intervened nine times through emergency legislation to end disputes at Pacific ports, according to Blacklock’s Reporter..“We would decline,” Singh’s office said in a statement. .“We would oppose back-to-work legislation. The New Democratic Party is for negotiated contracts and the right of workers to strike. We call on the parties to settle the dispute at the table.”.The comments came in response to a statement by the British Columbia Maritime Employers Association (MEA), stating that it was in a complete deadlock with the International Longshore and Warehouse Union..“The Association has gone as far as possible on core issues,” said the BC MEA statement..The ongoing strike, which involves approximately 7,000 workers, has entered its fifth day. As of Wednesday morning, neither side has made their contract offers public..According to the Union, the primary concerns were job losses resulting from “the devastation of port automation” and the need for wage adjustments to account for inflation. .In response, employers expressed their dissatisfaction, highlighting that the median salary for a longshore worker in British Columbia was $136,000 in 2022..Parliament earlier passed legislation to force an end to strikes and lockouts by BC longshore workers and grain handlers in 1995, 1994, 1991, 1988, 1986, 1982, 1975, 1974 and 1972. .The 1972 legislation followed a 21-day summer shutdown of the Port of Vancouver through August of that year..During the 2019 rail strike involving 3,200 Teamsters at Canadian National Railways, Singh stated that his party would resist any attempt at back-to-work legislation. The Teamsters dispute was resolved without the need for an Act of Parliament..“Workers are entitled and have the right to be able to strike,” Singh told reporters at the time. .“They should be able to express their concerns and negotiate freely and they should not at all be forced back to work.”.“We are opposed to back-to-work legislation,” said Singh. .“We would not in any way speed that up. In fact, we would discourage that as a process. We want people to be able to negotiate freely without that type of pressure.”.In 2018, the Canadian Parliament enacted back-to-work legislation to end rotating mail strikes initiated by the Canadian Union of Postal Workers. Similarly, in 2021, Parliament again intervened by passing back-to-work legislation to resolve a strike by longshore workers at the Port of Montréal..“Disruptions are creating challenges for Canadians to access key commodities,” said a labour department memo in the Montréal dispute..According to official estimates, the Port of Vancouver, which is larger in size, manages over 140 million tonnes of cargo each year. This includes various commodities such as grain, coal, potash, and approximately 334,000 vehicles annually.
