Details of an agreement which ended a lengthy and costly month of labour action at BC’s ports have been released.
Members of the International Longshore and Warehouse Union voted 75 percent in favour of ratifying the new four year deal last week.
It came a week after they voted down a settlement proposed by federal mediators for failing to protect jobs or provide adequate training.
Under the new deal, the BC Maritime Employers Association commits to providing appropriate training to perform regular maintenance work within a worker’s trade.
It also features general wage increases of five percent in the first two years and four percent in the last two years, putting hourly base rates at $57.51 in 2026.
Annual increases to the modernization and mechanization retirement lump sum will also put it at $96,250 by 2026 for eligible pensioners.
For Local 502 in Prince Rupert specifically, the deal also includes pay increases from GCT Canada for coverage shifts extended to over four hours.
With the dispute causing significant disruptions to Canada’s trade, Labour Minister Seamus O’Regan has launched a process to identify the underlying issues which prompted it.
