Vancouver labour lockout continues

Longshoremen were locked out of their jobs at the Pacific Northwest grain terminal back at the beginning of March following disputes over the proposed new labour agreement which they said was being imposed on them by UGC.

UGC said that it took the action because one union worker had “sabotaged company equipment” and that it would employ replacement workers to fulfil its loading duties.

The ITF has laid out its views in a formal complaint, in which ITF acting general secretary Steve Cotton told Masami Iijima, president and CEO of Mitsui Limited, that it is “deeply concerned” there does not appear to be any sign of a willingness to return to good faith bargaining with the union to resolve this dispute, which is “deeply damaging to both Mitsui’s business and reputation.”

He said: “We understand that the company justified the lockout of its entire International Longshoremen Workers Union (ILWU) Local 4 represented workforce on the basis on an accusation against a single union worker of damaging equipment. ITF unions consider this to be an unnecessarily heavy handed action. Concerns about the conduct of employees or health and safety issues should be addressed through proper, transparent processes and negotiation, not used to punish workers on the ground.”

He urged Mitsui to demonstrate that it takes its responsibility towards its global workforce “seriously” by resolving the dispute in the Port of Vancouver without delay.

The ITF is also making a formal complaint to Marubeni, a second Japanese conglomerate which operates a grain terminal in the Pacific Northwest, and which has taken “aggressive action” against workers.

Port Strategy invited UGC to comment on the issue but received no reply.