B.C. appoints mediator to settle container trucker strike

VANCOUVER, (July 4, 2005) — A mediator has been appointed to try to stop a port strike on B.C.’s coast from stretching deep into its second week.

About 1,200 independent container haulers shut their engines off over a week ago, virtually shutting down container traffic at Canada’s busiest port of entry. Over 40 percent of container freight at the Vancouver Port — worth about $30 million a day — is moved by truck.

The owner-ops — being represented by the Vancouver Container Truck Association — want a fuel surcharge to mitigate the impact of skyrocketing diesel prices as well as a general rate increase in the ballpark of 15 percent.

B.C. Labour Minister Mike de Jong announced Thursday that veteran mediator Vince Ready has been appointed to try to end the 10-day work stoppage. Ready has mediated more than 7,000 labour and commercial disputes in Canada, including last year’s B.C. Ferries’ strike.

TodaysTrucking.com reported last week (www.todaystrucking.com/displayarticle.cfm?ID=4151) that a coalition of company owners brought in their own facilitator. Richard Longpre, former Deputy Minister of Labour, was hired by the carriers to assist the government-appointed arbitrator up to speed.

Some nervous retailers have started implementing contingency plans. Media reports state that a few ships were diverted south of the border to the Seattle Port where some line-haul truckers picked up containers and hauled them back to Canada. Other big box retailers are wanting to containers straight from the dock to rail, where they could be taken to major distribution centres outside of the Lower Mainland. But its questionable how much more additional capacity the rail lines can handle.

Many carriers seem to sympathies with the truckers, but a very tight and competitive container hauling sector is preventing company owners from unilaterally hiking driver pay without other carriers’ and customer support.

“If I could be the only company that went out and charged the shipping line and the warehouses $750 a container so these guys can make a decent buck, I would do it,” said Quantum Transportation owner Julie Castle — one of several fleet owners that spoke to TodaysTrucking.com within days of the strike call. “But I’d be the only one on the block yelling at the auction. And then what happens?

“As a small carrier, I can’t afford to take the (sole) risk.”

The British Columbia Trucking Association has up to this point chosen not to get involved. “BCTA is not mandated nor equipped to deal with labour relations or related negotiations,” it stated in a letter to members.


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