Employers want arbitrator for maintenance issues as talks resume in B.C. port strike

Talks between the two sides in an ongoing port strike in B.C. have resumed, ending a days-long stretch away from the negotiating table.

The BC Maritime Employers Association issued a statement on Saturday evening saying it met with the International Longshore and Warehouse Union Canada and proposed a committee and independent arbitrator to make recommendations related to key sticking points around maintenance work.

The meeting took place a day before the union is expected to hold a rally in Vancouver in support of the 7,400 workers who walked off the job on Canada Day, in part because the union says its jurisdiction over maintenance is being eroded by the use of contractors.

Talks broke off on Monday, and the association has accused the union of trying to “aggressively expand” its control of maintenance duties beyond what has been established for decades.