VANCOUVER — Business and industry groups are celebrating a new agreement between British Columbia's port employers and supervisors. However, they are urging the federal government to take additional measures to ensure long-term labor stability and maintain Canada’s reputation as a reliable trade partner.

Bridgitte Anderson, president of the Greater Vancouver Board of Trade, highlighted the significant impact of past disruptions. She stated that strikes and lockouts at B.C. ports have affected over $19 billion in trade goods. Anderson emphasized the need for the federal government to act decisively to "ensure certainty and stability in our supply chains" moving forward. "Now more than ever, we need to be clear-eyed about our need for trade diversification and to be a reliable trading partner," she added.

The new agreement, announced by the British Columbia Maritime Employers Association and the International Longshore and Warehouse Union Ship and Dock Foremen Local 514, extends until March 31, 2027. This follows a separate deal signed with longshore workers in August 2023 after a strike. Together, these agreements are expected to provide labor peace for thousands of port employees for approximately two years.

While the specifics of the latest agreement have not been disclosed, the employers' association typically shares details of its contracts with port workers and supervisors on its negotiations website. The relationship between the employers and Local 514 has been fraught with tension, leading to a lockout last year. This action was described by the association as a defensive measure after the union authorized strike action and planned an overtime ban.

Concerns over port automation have been a major issue for the union, which is seeking staffing guarantees regardless of technological advancements. In contrast, the employers had previously offered a 19.2 percent wage increase over four years.

Kyle Larkin, executive director of Grain Growers of Canada, stressed the importance of avoiding a repeat of labor disruptions in 2024. He noted that the previous year saw significant job actions, including a lockout involving grain terminal employees and a railway lockout that disrupted cargo traffic.

"There are jurisdictions around the world that have very strong labor relations, but they also have a strong economy," Larkin said. He urged Canada to learn from these examples and improve its labor relations.

Larkin pointed out that the labor uncertainty of 2024 has negatively impacted the movement of goods to key markets like the United States and China. It has also hindered efforts to diversify grain exports to regions such as Southeast Asia. "Those customers in markets around the world may — and already have — started looking elsewhere," he warned.

He added, "We have major competitors around the world, be it the Brazilians, the Australians, or the Americans. If we have continued labor disruptions, we’ll lose markets around the world. We’ll lose customers. I don’t know what the silver bullet is, but we need a better path forward to avoid another 2024."