UPDATE:
Important information to our CNTL Unifor Membership concerning demonstrations / strikes
at Metro Vancouver Ports
March 1, 2014
Representatives of Unifor National Council 4000 have been working with CN and CNTL in concern of what is transpiring at the ports in the Greater Vancouver area.
The Company acknowledges our concerns and have said that they have taken steps to protect our members (CNTL Owner Operators) in the event of threats, intimidation or vandalism. The Company has retained the services of private security monitoring for the three parking areas where members park their trucks and will provide CN Police escorts when members are dispatched to the ports and are only going to move perishable items. They have told us that should a member express concern for personal safety or potential damage to their truck if dispatched to a port, they will bypass that driver and go to the next driver. But if everyone was to refuse a dispatch to the ports, the Company will start the process over and would contemplate disciplinary action against our members for refusing dispatch based on refusal being a breach to the standard contract.
On February 28, 2014, Port Metro Vancouver obtained an injunction that prevents protesting truckers from disrupting port operations. Port Metro Vancouver says that any individuals caught intimidating, threatening or vandalizing property will have their port licenses terminated.
Click here > to read the Federal Court Injunction.
Unifor Vancouver Container Truckers’ Association (VCTA) vote in favour of strike action
Today, members of Unifor-Vancouver Container Truckers’ Association (VCTA) voted overwhelmingly in favour of strike action. Paul Johal, President of Unifor-VCTA cited a lack of progress at the bargaining table for taking the vote. “Our members have sent a very clear message: enough is enough.” They are now in a position to issue 72-hour strike notice to employers.
Unifor-VCTA’s collective agreement expired in June 2012. During that time, the union has been raising concerns that long line-ups and wait times at the Port of Vancouver are costing their membership money. Unifor-VCTA is demanding increased rates of pay at the bargaining table and wants the rates standardized and enforced across the sector to put an end to under-cutting.
“Container truckers, like workers across this country, make the economy work,” said Jerry Dias, National President of Unifor. “They deserve to be compensated fairly for their role in generating wealth, but if workers can’t share in that wealth, we’ll help shut that port down until they get it.”
Unifor is also calling on the federal and provincial governments and the Ports to appoint Mediator Vince Ready to review the situation and make recommendations to solve the long-standing issues.
Unifor National Council 4000 President Barry Kennedy has said that Council 4000, which represents 4,500 Unifor members across all 10 Canadian provinces, including 800 CNTL Owner Operators, supports the Unifor-VCTA membership. “We will address with CN and CNTL that our Union will respect any picket lines at any of the ports should there be strike action in the coming days and would expect that the Company will work with us in making alternative arrangements to alleviate the need of our Unifor Council 4000/Local 4001 membership having to enter the ports at a time when other Unifor members are on a legal strike.
We will continue to keep our membership abreast of any information as it becomes available.
March 1 Communique to our CNTL membership
Related:
February 26, 2014 - Important information to our CNTL Unifor Membership concerning demonstrations / strikes at Metro Vancouver Ports
The Company acknowledges our concerns and have said that they have taken steps to protect our members (CNTL Owner Operators) in the event of threats, intimidation or vandalism. The Company has retained the services of private security monitoring for the three parking areas where members park their trucks and will provide CN Police escorts when members are dispatched to the ports and are only going to move perishable items. They have told us that should a member express concern for personal safety or potential damage to their truck if dispatched to a port, they will bypass that driver and go to the next driver. But if everyone was to refuse a dispatch to the ports, the Company will start the process over and would contemplate disciplinary action against our members for refusing dispatch based on refusal being a breach to the standard contract.
On February 28, 2014, Port Metro Vancouver obtained an injunction that prevents protesting truckers from disrupting port operations. Port Metro Vancouver says that any individuals caught intimidating, threatening or vandalizing property will have their port licenses terminated.
Click here > to read the Federal Court Injunction.
Unifor Vancouver Container Truckers’ Association (VCTA) vote in favour of strike action
Today, members of Unifor-Vancouver Container Truckers’ Association (VCTA) voted overwhelmingly in favour of strike action. Paul Johal, President of Unifor-VCTA cited a lack of progress at the bargaining table for taking the vote. “Our members have sent a very clear message: enough is enough.” They are now in a position to issue 72-hour strike notice to employers.
Unifor-VCTA’s collective agreement expired in June 2012. During that time, the union has been raising concerns that long line-ups and wait times at the Port of Vancouver are costing their membership money. Unifor-VCTA is demanding increased rates of pay at the bargaining table and wants the rates standardized and enforced across the sector to put an end to under-cutting.
“Container truckers, like workers across this country, make the economy work,” said Jerry Dias, National President of Unifor. “They deserve to be compensated fairly for their role in generating wealth, but if workers can’t share in that wealth, we’ll help shut that port down until they get it.”
Unifor is also calling on the federal and provincial governments and the Ports to appoint Mediator Vince Ready to review the situation and make recommendations to solve the long-standing issues.
Unifor National Council 4000 President Barry Kennedy has said that Council 4000, which represents 4,500 Unifor members across all 10 Canadian provinces, including 800 CNTL Owner Operators, supports the Unifor-VCTA membership. “We will address with CN and CNTL that our Union will respect any picket lines at any of the ports should there be strike action in the coming days and would expect that the Company will work with us in making alternative arrangements to alleviate the need of our Unifor Council 4000/Local 4001 membership having to enter the ports at a time when other Unifor members are on a legal strike.
We will continue to keep our membership abreast of any information as it becomes available.
March 1 Communique to our CNTL membership
Related:
February 26, 2014 - Important information to our CNTL Unifor Membership concerning demonstrations / strikes at Metro Vancouver Ports
