VANCOUVER, B.C. — About 500 container haulers could return to work as early as today after roughly half their employers have agreed to a deal proposed by facilitator Vince Ready.

Twenty five companies have agreed to sign a memorandum of agreement which has already been approved by drivers. The Vancouver Container Truckers Association (VCTA) has urged its members who work for the carriers involved in the memorandum of agreement to return to work and haul containers for those companies.

Carriers agreeing to the terms laid out by Ready can now apply for a 90-day licence through the Vancouver Port Authority which will enable them to get containers moving. In order to obtain a licence, carriers must agree to the terms in the memorandum of agreement. Those companies signing the agreement are bound to its terms for two years.

There is still some resistance among some carriers, who say the two-year deal is unfair. One carrier, Pro West Transport, says it will sue the Vancouver Port Authority because it feels the licensing system is illegal.

It’s expected some container haulers who work for the carriers who signed the agreement could be back on the job today.