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B.C. port workers back on strike

Jul 19, 2023 | 8:59 AM

All eyes are on B.C. ports as workers resume strike action after their union rejected a tentative deal reached last week that temporarily ended disruptions.

The International Longshore and Warehouse Union Canada said in its decision to reject the July 13 agreement that “employers have not addressed the cost of living issues” faced by workers in the last few years.

The strike originally started on July 1 and ended last Thursday, restarting operations at more than 30 port terminals and other sites across the province.

University of British Columbia professor emeritus Mark Thompson says the situation is now in “uncharted territory” because the strike is unusually long for Vancouver, and the federal government has been very reluctant to enact back-to-work legislation in similar situations.