Vancouver, British Columbia — Port workers in British Columbia have been on strike since Saturday and officials are now saying it will likely affect supply chains across the continent.
About 30 seaports across B.C. are impacted by the strike, including the Port of Vancouver—Canada’s busiest port, processing one-third of Canada’s international trade.
Alberta Premier Danielle Smith said the strike could cause “substantial economic harm.” Other authorities share similar concerns, suggesting that businesses that rely on goods shipped in from Asian countries will be unable to carry out operations unless they source goods from other suppliers or reroute their shipments through U.S. ports.
“The economy needs ports and railways to be operating 100 percent of the time,” said Jasmin Guénette, vice president of national affairs at the Canadian Federation of Independent Business.
A brief work stoppage could produce significant results, according to UBC Professor Werner Antweiler, who teaches at the university’s school of business.
“It cannot go for long without doing major damage to the economy,” he said.
He added that businesses in the manufacturing sector, namely the auto and retail sectors, are likely to see the biggest impacts due to their reliance on imports.
The B.C. Maritime Employers Association (BCMEA) said Monday that bargaining attempts had been unsuccessful after the association had gone “as far as possible” on its core issues, to no result. Negotiators told the CBC they did not think further bargaining would produce a collective agreement.
The BCMEA and the International Longshore and Warehouse Union (ILWU) represent about 50 companies in B.C. They have been negotiating with authorities since February. The union is seeking better compensation in the face of high inflation, in addition to better job security and automated technology in ports.
In a statement last Thursday, the Canadian Chamber of Commerce said it was “deeply disturbed “ by the strike noticed served by B.C. port workers, and urged the federal government to use “all its tools” to prevent a strike. Premier David Eby also urged port workers and employers to find a way to avert job action last week.
