Montreal dock workers union to challenge minister’s binding arbitration decision

The union representing Montreal dock workers plans to challenge in court a decision by the federal labour minister to end a lockout at the port by sending the dispute to binding arbitration.

The move comes as the union representing locked-out port workers in B.C. also says it will challenge the federal government’s move to end a work stoppage there.

The Maritime Employers Association locked out 1,200 longshore workers at the Port of Montreal on Sunday night after workers voted to reject what employers called a final contract offer.

The job action came after port workers in B.C. were locked out last week amid a labour dispute involving more than 700 longshore supervisors, halting container cargo traffic at terminals on the West Coast.

Labour Minister Steven MacKinnon stepped in Tuesday to end both disputes and directed the Canada Industrial Relations Board to order the resumption of all operations and move both sets of talks to binding arbitration.

Teamsters Canada is also challenging Ottawa’s use of the same mechanism to end a countrywide rail work stoppage earlier this year.