Aheer, Prudential truck drivers threaten strike action
Truck drivers employed by Prudential Transportation and Aheer Transportation have voted to strike if necessary, threatening service levels at the Port of Vancouver.
The two fleets represent almost 200 truckers that move containers in and out of the facility.
The Unifor members are looking for a pattern agreement adopted by more than 100 truck drivers at Harbour Link Transportation in August 2021. That deal, the union says in a related press release, led to higher payments for waiting time, as well as health, dental and insurance benefits.
“Unifor truckers in this sector are fighting for the simple right to have health and dental benefits. Basic respect for your workers and their family’s health and safety is not an unreasonable request,” said Unifor national president Jerry Dias. “Two bad apples who don’t want to provide basic benefits during a pandemic are threatening stability for the whole port.”
Gavin McGarrigle, Unifor’s western regional director, referred to Prudential and Aheer as Harbour Link’s biggest competitors.
“It would be a shame if two greedy employers caused further disruptions to supply chain stability for the small extra costs required to meet the pattern agreement,” he said, also noting that Aheer has previously been fined by the Trucking Commissioner in June 2018 and September 2017.
Truck activity at all four containers has so far remained steady, despite immediate challenges linked to flood-damaged infrastructure in the B.C. interior, according to the port’s most recent operations update.
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Rather humorous to have a union call others “greedy”. lol
Truckers have been used and abused for years! The problem is we are so independent, that we can’t get together and stay home for two or three days! If we did, the country would come to a standstill and we then could DEMAND fair wages, benefits and home time!
That’s the way UNIFOR works though … they wait until the company, or country, is on its knees and screw ’em for all their worth, and more.
In this case they are directly attacking Canadians in the aftermath of an environmental crisis. Even the Teamsters and Longshoremen aren’t that low.
As much as believe they should be paid fairly with the benefits also.
I do not believe in taking advantage of a natural disaster to get your demands.
You will not get the support of the public if you strike at this time. Ethics are surely lacking here. I think the government may need to step in even though their ethics are not much better.
I believe we need to set these standards across Ont and B C
Truck drivers at the Port of new to Canada in the past 5 years and need better treatment and minimum wage rates and owner ops rates. I wish them well