Canada's West Coast Port Strike Averted After Board Order

OTTAWA, July 8 (Reuters) – A strike planned for Monday by ship and dock foremen at west Canadian ports has been called off after the country’s industrial relations board found the union’s strike notice was in violation of the labor code, the board said in an order.

“The Board directs the union to rescind its strike notice,” Canada Industrial Relations Board (CIRB) said in the order, adding that the strike violated the Canada Labour Code.

It said that the union – International Longshore and Warehouse Union Ship and Dock Foremen Local 514 – failed to bargain in good faith.

The union did not immediately respond to a request for comment early on Monday.

The strike was called to protest against port operator DP World’s labor contracts and related issues such as changes to overtime, jobs becoming redundant due to automation and retirement benefits.

A maritime employers’ association of British Columbia in the west of Canada had said earlier that a coast-wide lockout could potentially shut down all cargo operations of its member companies across the province, except cruises and operations of grain vessels.

Canada’s Labor Minister Seamus O’Regan said on social media platform X on Monday that federal mediators were working with the parties to make a deal.

The BC Maritime Employers Association had filed a complaint with the CIRB last week that the 72-hour strike called by the union was in “bad faith” and contrary to the Canada Labour Code.

(Reporting by Promit MukherjeeEditing by Keith Weir)

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