Joint Statement by Ministers O’Regan and Alghabra

July 13, 2023     Vancouver, British Columbia     Employment and Social Development Canada

Today, the Honourable Seamus O’Regan Jr., Minister of Labour, and the Honourable Omar Alghabra, Minister of Transport, issued the following statement regarding the collective bargaining negotiations between the British Columbia Maritime Employers Association (BCMEA) and the International Longshore and Warehouse Union (ILWU) Canada:

“At 10:20 PDT, Minister O’Regan received notice that both the BCMEA and the ILWU have accepted the Terms of Settlement from federal mediators. The parties have reached a tentative agreement. The parties are finalizing details for the resumption of work at the ports.

We thank the Union and the Employer for their commitment to the collective bargaining process, and federal mediators for their instrumental role in supporting the parties in their negotiations and proposing the successful settlement.

The scale of this disruption has been significant. The extent of it has shown just how important the relationship between industry and labour is to our national interest. Our supply chains and our economy depend on it. We do not want to be back here again. Deals like this, made between parties at the collective bargaining table, are the best way to prevent that. They are the best way to preserve the long-term stability of Canada’s economy. But we do not want to be back here again.”

Associated Link

Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service

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