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Members of Unifor-Vancouver Container Truckers’ Association (VCTA) voted to reject a tentative agreement brokered on Thursday by federally appointed mediator Vince Ready.
“Our members have spoken: the deal was too little, too late,” said Paul Johal, President of Unifor-VCTA.
After more than 18 months of failed negotiations, Unifor-VCTA members voted 100% in favour of a strike on March 1. Truck drivers have been raising concerns that long line-ups and wait times at the Port of Vancouver are costing truck drivers money and that rates agreed to in previous contract negotiations were not being honoured due to under-cutting.
“We’ve warned the government for years how bad the conditions are,” said Gavin McGarrigle, Unifor’s BC Area Director. “We welcome the involvement of Vince Ready, but the feedback I’ve gotten is that our members need to see something far more immediate to improve their economic position.”
Unifor was founded Labour Day weekend 2013 when the Canadian Auto Workers and the Communications, Energy and Paperworkers unions merged. With more than 300,000 members, Unifor is Canada’s largest union in the private sector.
