(Reuters) – Canada’s Industrial Relations Board (CIRB) has ordered a resumption of operations at the Port of Montreal from Saturday morning, the port’s employers’ association said, after the federal government intervened and ordered the labor board to end port disputes.
Canada intervened Tuesday to end labor disputes at the country’s biggest ports, including Vancouver in British Columbia and Montreal in Quebec, citing economic damage and the potential to drive away trading partners.
It was the second time in three months that the Liberal government intervened to stop a labor dispute. In August, it ordered an end to work stoppages at the country’s two largest railway companies.
The Maritime Employers Association (MEA) said it would comply with the Labor Council’s directive allowing Montreal port operators to resume operations this weekend.
The Montreal Longshoremen’s Union rejected a final bid for a new labor contract on Sunday, leading to a lockout.
The union did not immediately respond to a request for comment outside regular business hours about the resumption of activities.
The dispute, which according to Labor Secretary Steven MacKinnon affects more than C$1.3 billion ($924.35 million) worth of goods every day, has affected shipments of canola oil, forest products and other goods.
The International Longshore and Warehouse Union Local 514, which represents supervisory longshore workers in the British Columbia dispute, said Tuesday it would legally challenge the minister’s orders.
The BC Maritime Employers Association, which represents employers at west coast ports, including in Vancouver, said Wednesday it received the labor council’s order to resume operations Thursday.
($1 = 1.4064 Canadian dollars)
