Union says talks to resume in B.C. port work stoppage

The union representing more than 700 locked-out British Columbia port supervisors says talks are set to resume with employers.

A representative for the International Longshore and Warehouse Union Local 514 says they have been ordered back to the table with the BC Maritime Employers Association (BCMEA) and federal mediators on Saturday afternoon.

A representative for the employers association says they will have a bargaining update “shortly.”

Federal Labour Minister Steven MacKinnon had earlier Thursday criticized a lack of progress in talks to end the dispute, as well as a dockworkers’ strike at the Port of Montreal, saying there had been a “concerning lack of urgency.”

MacKinnon’s office did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

The BCMEA says a final offer has been on the table for over a week and includes an increase in median foreperson compensation, a lump sum payment, and an increased retirement benefit.

This announcement comes shortly after the union announced Thursday that it has filed a complaint against the BC Maritime Employers Association to the Canada Industrial Relations Board.

B.C.’s port lockout has halted most container traffic on Canada’s west coast since Monday, frustrating business organizations.