July 1 (Reuters) - Several thousand unionized port workers in Canada's western province of British Columbia went on strike after failing to reach a deal to renew an industry-wide contract that expired in March, a waterfront employers group said on Saturday.
The British Columbia Maritime Employers Association (BCMEA) said it and the International Longshore and Warehouse Union Canada (ILWU Canada) had met Thursday and Friday in talks supported by the Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service.
ILWU Canada members were on strike at sites across British Columbia, the BCMEA said.
[1/6]Longshoremen with the International Longshore and Warehouse Union Canada (ILWU) strike at Canada's busiest port in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada July 1, 2023.
On Wednesday, the longshore workers union said it had issued a 72-hour strike notice.
Persons:
Chris Helgren, Seamus O'Regan Jr, Anirudh, Jonathan Oatis
Organizations:
British Columbia, British Columbia Maritime Employers Association, Warehouse Union, Federal Mediation, Conciliation Service, Canada's, REUTERS, Canadian Federation of Independent Business, ILWU, Thomson
Locations:
Canada's, British, Canada, British Columbia, Vancouver , British Columbia, ILWU Canada, Bengaluru