B.C. port workers’ strike enters fourth day as talks stall

The strike at British Columbia ports enters its fourth day after talks between the two sides stalled on Monday.

More than 7,000 workers who load and unload cargo at more than 30 B.C. ports have been on strike since Saturday morning.

Representatives for the BC Maritime Employers Association and the International Longshore and Warehouse Union Canada negotiated over the long weekend before the association issued a statement Monday saying it didn’t think more bargaining is going to produce a deal.

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It said the union’s demands were “outside any reasonable framework for settlement.”

The union, meanwhile, has accused the association of changing its position on a key issue at the last minute to “muddy the waters.”

News of a strike at the ports, including Canada’s largest, the Port of Vancouver, led many business groups to raise red flags, suggesting it would have far-reaching implications for Canada’s economy.

That includes the Canadian Chamber of Commerce, whose vice president Robin Guy says it is crucial that the federal government reconvene parliament and enact back-to-work legislation.

“This is massive. It’s not just something that is affecting British Columbia, this is something that affects the whole of Canada,” Guy said.

“We obviously would love for a deal to be struck at the table, but just given how serious of an issue this is, we think the government needs to intervene and bring some stability back to our supply chain.”

The group says if the strike drags on for a full week, it could cost the Canadian economy up to $5.5 billion.

Mayors of port towns in B.C. — Nanaimo and Prince Rupert — have told CityNews that they hope the strike is resolved quickly so the hit to their local economies is minimal.

-With files from Michael Williams