Except translation, this story has not been edited by achinews staff and is published from a syndicated feed.
Canadian grain farmers say a strike at Metro Vancouver terminals would cripple crop exports if allowed.
Grain Growers of Canada says in a statement it is “very concerned” about a possible strike by grain workers in Metro Vancouver, since about 52 percent of all grain grown in Canada went to those terminals last year.
Grain farmers say a strike would “stop nearly 100,000 metric tons” of goods arriving each day, potentially costing $35 million a day in lost exports.
The response comes after the union representing grain workers at terminals in Metro Vancouver said they had given their employer a 72-hour strike notice.
The Grain Workers Union Local 333 says in a statement posted to Facebook that its strike will begin at 7am on Tuesday.
The Vancouver Terminal Elevators Association says affected operations include Viterra’s Cascadia and Pacific Terminals, Richardson International Terminal, Cargill Limited Terminal, G3 Vancouver Terminal and Alliance Grain Terminal, all located in Vancouver and North Vancouver.
“Grain farmers in the prairies rely heavily on the Port of Vancouver to handle and export the majority of the grain they grow,” said a Grain Growers of Canada statement. “Following last month’s rail work stoppages, this strike will have an equally devastating impact on grain farmers across the prairies who are in the midst of harvest.”
The group is also urging federal Labor Minister Steven MacKinnon to “use all available tools” to prevent a suspension from ending.
“Without intervention, Canada’s international trading reputation will continue to suffer, resulting in the loss of key global markets and customers,” the Grain Growers statement said.
In a separate statement, the group representing Saskatchewan farmers echoed the national organization’s concerns, saying a strike or any similar work stoppages would be a “gut punch” to farm operators.
“Our farmers are once again caught in the middle of labor disputes far from their fields, facing the consequences of suspended grain shipments,” said Saskatchewan Agricultural Producers Association president Ian Boxall.
“It is high time the government took decisive action to protect the integrity of our supply chain.”
Grain Workers Union Local 333 says the union’s bargaining committee made the decision to issue a strike notice after the Vancouver Terminal Elevators Association “invested very little effort” during negotiations last week.
The union says it is now up to the employer to present a proposal for a new contract, and workers provided a “comprehensive package” last Thursday with the association stating the next day that they had no counter offer.
A statement says that the union’s shop committees will inform members of their picketing duties before the start of the strike on Tuesday morning.
“You are required to leave the terminal at that time if you are working,” the statement tells workers.
“Your union will not bargain against itself,” says the grain workers’ statement. “We will await their offer if, and when, it comes, and respond accordingly.”
A statement issued by the Vancouver Terminal Elevators Association says it concluded conciliation with the union with the help of the Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service on August 26.
It says it could not reach an agreement on a new contract and the union has been on legal strike since last Tuesday.
This report was first published by The Canadian Press on September 23, 2024.
(Except translation, this story has not been edited by achinews staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)
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