Vancouver truckers call an end to crippling strike

Robin Silvester, president and CEO, Port Metro Vancouver, told Port Strategy: “We are pleased to hear news that an agreement has been reached for moving forward with the 14-point Joint Action Plan. We look forward to truckers returning to work. The impacts of this ongoing dispute have been significant for Canadian families, business and our international customers, and we anticipate it will take some time for backlogs to clear before the port can return to normal operations.”

As part of the agreement reached, the port looks likely to withdraw any license suspension handed out during the strikes, which were over pay and waiting times. There will also be a 12% rise in roundtrip rates and a CAD$25.13 minimum hourly rate for drivers.

An overhaul of the current port licensing system spearheaded by the port under a new eight point proposal in consultation with truckers and other stakeholders.

Any resolution would have been no doubt helped along by the local government’s newly introduced back-to-work legislation and the threat of truck licenses being revoked by the port authority.

Even though normal truck operations look likely resume this week, the strikes, which have been going on since February, are said to have cost the economy around CAD$885m and countless lost business.

It will now take private terminal operators a while to clear backlogs of import cargo and local businesses to work through contracts which have been delayed due to goods not being received on time.

One such operator is GCT Global Container Terminals Inc. (GCT), which told PS: “Terminal Systems Inc. is working hard to return to normal operations. Truck gates at Vanterm and Deltaport continue to be open and will open extended hours as required to expedite cargo movement for our ocean carrier customers and to meet demand by the drayage community.”