Seaspan dodges strike, enters arbitration with B.C. port workers
by The Canadian Press
Federal government will appoint arbitrator who will work out settlement to avert strike
VANCOUVER—The company that provides ship docking services at British Columbia ports and the union representing Vancouver-area longshoremen have agreed to enter into binding arbitration, averting the threat of a strike.
Seaspan Marine Corp. and the International Longshore and Warehouse Union (ILWU) have agreed that the federal government will appoint an arbitrator who will work out a settlement.
Earlier this month, Seaspan and the union representing its tugboat captains and engineers in B.C. also reached a similar agreement.
Federal Labour Minister Kellie Leitch flew to Vancouver to broker deals with Seaspan and both unions.
Strikes from both unions would have crippled operations at Port Metro Vancouver and other B.C. ports.
In March, port truckers in the Vancouver area reached a deal to end a strike that had dragged on for weeks as they looked for wage increases for both unionized and non-unionized workers running cargo at Port Metro Vancouver.
