Truck drivers at Port Metro Vancouver on March 10 picketed the Pacific Coast port to protest extensive delays at marine terminals that the truckers say are making their economic situation intolerable.
The port authority said only 10 percent of the normal truck traffic was getting into and out of the marine terminals on March 10. About 50 percent of total port traffic moves by truck and 50 percent moves by rail.
Louise Yako, president and CEO of the British Columbia Trucking Association, said harbor trucking companies reported that many union and non-union drivers failed to report to work on Monday, and this was having a noticeable impact on truck traffic in the harbor.
Trucker demonstrations to protest long waits at congested marine terminals have disrupted Canada’s largest container port for the past two weeks. As tensions mounted last week, the Canadian government appointed veteran mediator Vince Ready to save the day. Ready quickly developed a plan, which he submitted to the truckers at the weekend, but they said it was too little and too late.
Truck problems have plagued Port Metro Vancouver on and off since at least 2005, when a six-week strike cost the national economy an estimated Canadian $800 million. Ready at that time developed a harbor-trucking rate plan that to this day carries his name.
However, truckers say that over the years exceptions were granted to certain companies, while other low-ball operators entered harbor work and wages gradually eroded. Striking drivers say the average wage for harbor truck drivers today is about $7 lower than for other trucking sectors in British Columbia...
Industry experts said the ports and terminal operators must work more closely with the harbor trucking industry and beneficial cargo owners to develop and implement an action plan, or the mega-ships being deployed by carrier alliances will have a serious impact on international trade.
Vancouver handles about 2.5 million TEUs a year at four container terminals...
The latest series of trucker actions also cast doubt on the reliability of Vancouver as a gateway. Anderson said Port Metro Vancouver has been slow to realize how frustrated the harbor trucking industry is with the wait times at marine terminals and with the trucking rates in effect in the harbor.
A port authority release on March 10 stated that truckers should be paid more. It also recounted actions that are being taken to relieve congestion, including construction of road-rail bypasses, use of GPS systems to monitor truck efficiency, initiation of a gate efficiency fee program and initiation of a pilot program to extend gate hours.
This has been excerpted from the 10 March 2014 article by the Journal of Commerce and is available in its entirety at https://www.joc.com/port-news/international-ports/port-metro-vancouver/truck-drivers-go-strike-vancouver_20140310.html (subscription is required.)
Topic(s)
International Trade and Border Management
Information source
Canadian News Channel
Disclaimer
The foregoing information is provided for informational purposes only and is not intended as, nor should it be considered, professional advice or a substitute for conducting your own thorough research and review. Before making any decisions or taking any action based on the information provided, you should conduct your own independent investigation and/or seek professional advice from a qualified expert in the relevant field. The CSCB disclaims all liability for actions taken or not taken based on the information provided.