Port strike ‘illegal’ – O’Regan

Canada’s Labour Minister Seamus O’Regan says the strike at the BC port is illegal.

Tweeting a ruling by the Canada Industrial Relations Board just earlier today.

The ruling states the International Longshore and Warehouse Union was to have provided 72 hours notice before members walked off the job.

Federal mediators brought both parties to a settlement last week after 13 days of strike action, but the I-L-W-U decided not to recommend the terms, and members walked off the job again yesterday.

O’Regan, in a joint statement with Transport Minister Omar Alghabra, says:

We should not be here. The deal presented to the parties was the result of a constructive and substantive collective bargaining process. It represented a fair and balanced deal. It was informed by weeks of collective bargaining and drafted by third-party mediators in the interest of both the union and the employer.

Both Ministers say they are “looking at all options”.

Which could involve the recall of Parliament.

That being hinted by Ontario Premier Doug Ford on Twitter Wednesday afternoon suggesting other pieces of legislation be considered:

With parliament being recalled to address the port strike, I’m urging the federal government to use this time to quickly pass their bail reform bill.

We can’t keep losing innocent lives at the hands of dangerous criminals who are on our streets when they should be behind bars.

— Doug Ford (@fordnation) July 19, 2023