CIFFA 2024 Fall Forwarder

18 THE FORWARDER | FALL 2024 On July 30, 2024 CIFFA submitted a brief to the Industrial Inquiry Commission on the topic of the underlying issues in longshoring labour disputes at Canada’s West Coast ports pursuant to Section108 of the Canada Labour Code. Background: On August 9, 2023, the Labour Minister (then-Seamus O’Regan) announced a federal review of structural issues relating to the strikes in the BC ports in 2023 pursuant to his authority under section 106 of the Canada Labour Code. On October 19, 2023, the Minister announced the appointment of Anthony Giles and Kevin Banks to identify the key questions that needed to be answered and proposing terms of reference for this review. On April 22, 2024, the Minister announced the appointment of an Industrial Inquiry Commission on the underlying issues in longshoring labour disputes at Canada’s West Coast ports pursuant to Section108 of the Canada Labour Code. The Minister appointed Vincent Ready and Amanda Rogers as Members of the Commission. The Commission is ultimately being asked by the federal government for recommendations on a path forward. The ultimate report of Commission is to be given by May 2025. CIFFA’s Submission: CIFFA Corp. appreciates this opportunity to comment on some aspects of labour negotiations within Canada’s West Coast ports; institutions which play a critical role in the daily work of our members. CIFFA represents some 14,000 employees of freight forwarder, drayage/port truckers, customs brokers, freight brokers and warehouse company members in Canada who manage about 80% of freight traffic, both domestic and international. They are the key players in Canada’s freight supply chain. CIFFA exists to support our members as they do the complex work of moving goods by air, land and sea. We do that by delivering on high education standards, advocating for the interests of those in our industries, and keeping our members informed. We commend the Minister of Labour for the decision to establish this inquiry, and Commissioners Willams and Ready for taking on the challenge. To be clear: CIFFA is a customer of the system. Many of our members route shipments through the West Coast ports, other participate directly in the operations of those ports. CIFFA is not an ally of either the employers or the unions. We advocate for efficiency that helps us all remain competitive, and for the reliability which allows investment and growth. The preponderance of Canadian strikes and lockouts occur in a small number of industries – auto manufacturing, lumber and paper, mining, etc. But all these sectors are private industries. The damage - to employees and employers - is their own. Ports are critical public assets and their disruption affects a huge community of small business and consumers who are not involved in the disputed issues at all. Canada’s West Coast ports have been disrupted by labour disputes for decades. As long ago as 1923 the International Longshoremen struck the Vancouver Port in a dispute over wages – an incident which featured the use of strike breakers and a private security force of hundreds of men to guard them. Twelve years later the employer locked out the Longshoremen and in the subsequent violent struggles – dubbed the Battle of Ballentyne Pier - police intervened to arrest the union leaders. Nonetheless the strike persisted until December of that year. Ongoing uncertainty does no one any good. Regardless of the specifics of any one dispute, a reputation for unreliability reduces opportunity for all parties. Conversely, new investment and sustained demand benefit everyone. CIFFA Brief to Industrial Inquiry Commission July 2024