B.C. port strike Day 7: Union, employers association trade barbs

VANCOUVER — Opposition members of the British Columbia Legislature have added their voices to business and political groups demanding action to end a week-old strike at more than 30 west coast ports.

A statement issued Friday by B.C. United members Greg Kyllo and Ben Stewart said New Democrat Premier David Eby must call on the federal government to intervene in the job action between the International Longshore and Warehouse Union Canada and the organization that represents port employers.

“While premiers from other provinces have voiced their concerns, Premier David Eby and NDP Labour Minister Harry Bains have remained silent as the strike’s effects continue to escalate,” Kyllo said in the statement.

The B.C. Maritime Employers Association, which represents B.C. ports, issued a statement Thursday that said it had learned of layoffs in related industries due to the job action.

It said the strike had potentially disrupted $4.6 billion worth of cargo since it began on Canada Day.