VANCOUVER: Container truck drivers at several Metro Vancouver trucking companies have voted to ratify collective agreements with Unifor after several days of around-the-clock bargaining. Companies with new collective agreements include AG, Aheer, Forward, Prudential, and Sunlover, said a release.
Roughly 75% of truck drivers represented by Unifor have now ratified a collective agreement that won’t expire until July 2019—a major step towards stability at Port Metro Vancouver. The new deal ensures that all outstanding retro pay will be paid out to drivers within 30 days, improves rates for CN and CP moves, and fixes the pay chart for “off dock” moves. In addition to job security protections and better dispatching language, companies will also start contributing toward a benefit plan for both owner-operators and company drivers, the release said.
“These collective agreements are a major step forward for the sector’s drivers,” said Gavin McGarrigle, Unifor’s BC Area Director. “Unifor drivers have a major advantage with fair rates and working conditions with this deal.”
Two companies, Port Transport and Harbour Link have not yet brokered ddeals.
Port Transport’s workers have been on strike for a week and remain off the job.
Harbour Link has been one of the main companies that have refused to pay the retroactive wages required under the Container Trucking Act, Unifor said. It has filed a complaint with the Office of the Container Truck Commissioner seeking both wages and penalties.
Picketing will begin at Harbour Link’s main yard at 7420 Hopcott Road (Tilbury Island) in Delta, BC at 6 a.m. on Monday, November 30, 2015.
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