Labour disputes, including the ongoing strike of workers from grain terminals in Metro Vancouver, are creating challenging times for grain companies.

More than six hundred employees walked off the job Tuesday morning as both parties – Grain Workers Union Local 333 and the Vancouver Terminal Elevators Association – remain apart over wages, pension, and scheduling.

“Agri-business is some of the most profitable company in the world and these workers carried them through COVID, through drought, and through record high inflation rates and kept them profitable, so they need to come to meet the workers’ demands and that’s why we’re here.” Douglas Lea-Smith, President of GWU Local 333 told Global Vancouver on the picket line.

The union and the employer have been negotiating a new deal since November 2023. Federal Labour Minister Steven MacKinnon requested both sides to return to the bargaining table alongside federal mediators, which both parties agreed to. On the social media platform “X” following the start of the strike Tuesday morning, MacKinnon stated “after a bumper crop summer, Canadian farmers and businesses need to get their harvest to market. Parties need to work hard to get a deal.”

Meantime, the grain companies are looking to save some money by adjusting work schedules. Wade Sobkowich, Executive Director of the Western Grain Elevator Association, says the owners of the terminals want the ability to schedule or not schedule shifts on statutory holidays. “If we don’t have grain to unload, we would like the ability to not pay double overtime and not schedule workers during those statutory holidays,” added Sobkowich.

The Port of Vancouver is not the only location where grain can be shipped as it can also go through Prince Rupert or Thunder Bay. 

Farm groups such as the Agricultural Producers Association of Saskatchewan (APAS) and the Wheat Growers Association say the strike comes at the worst possible time with producers completing, or nearing completion, of harvest and need to get their grain exported. In a statement, the Wheat Growers point out agriculture exports were valued over $99 billion in 2023, and the success of the sector hinges on the ability to reliably export to global markets. Vice-President of APAS Bill Prybylski says conversations need to be had with the federal government about what is deemed essential to ensure labour disputes don’t disrupt the supply chain again. “Every time there is a disruption it’s just costing farmers more and it’s hurting our reputation,” added Prybylski.

In the background of the strike in Vancouver is more than 1,150 longshoremen at the Port of Montreal voting on a potential strike mandate.

(With files from CJWW)