29 July 2005

Negotiations break off in B.C. truckers' strike

The following article is excerpted from the 29 July 2005 edition of “globeandmail.com”.

Talks aimed at ending a nasty strike by 1,200 truckers at the Port of Vancouver broke off yesterday after the two sides in the dispute failed to reach an agreement on how much the drivers should be paid. Federal facilitator Vince Ready said he plans to make a series of non-binding recommendations to the drivers and their transport company employers today, in hopes of settling a strike that began on June 27. "I hope the parties will put my recommendations to their members and that they will be accepted," he said. Efforts to reach a deal come just days after a coalition of business leaders said they are anxious to see an end to the dispute which has slowed the flow of container traffic through the port, and is thought to be costing the Canadian economy about $75-million a week….