On Monday this week, the BC Maritime Employers Association advised that after five days of collective bargaining meetings, ILWU Canada has served a Notice of Dispute to the Minister of Labour. The Minister of Labour has up to 15 days to appoint a Conciliation Officer with the Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service (FMCS) who will assist and support the parties to achieve a renewed collective agreement. While this is the same process followed by the parties in prior rounds of collective bargaining negotiations, it is unusual for this to occur so early in the negotiations. The conciliation period will last 60 days unless mutually extended on both sides.
