No need to get your shorts in a knot! The Fed's will do what they always do when it comes to the waterfront.

They will go on strike, (maybe) but for a few hours, possibly longer, they will be legislated back to work and will get pretty much what they want. Thats how it works with BC Longshoreman, a very well paid profession to be in.

100 million dollars a day down the drain.
It means nothing to the union.


They should be happy to have a job.
Right now, I would also say "Be happy to live in Canada!"

Go on strike, boys.

So you guys it is okay for the working joe who actually makes the wheels go round get hosed while the CEO's and companies make obscene amounts of money. If you guys even read the article it is the employers association that is stirring up sh** and sucked you guys in.

Here we go again. I think it's time in our global ecomony that our politicians should end this union strangulation of our economy. Ths is not local, provincial or federal. It's global. We are doing well in our Canadian economy. Look at the number of countries that are totally broke and accepting bail outs from taxpayers and the IMF.

I like Harper. I wish he would fire the lot of them. The disruption to the fragile global economy would be disastrous. Harper could solve this greediness. Ports are federal.

Remember when President Reagan fired all the air traffic controllers in the US? Planes didn't fall out of the sky.

I worked for a stevedoring company years ago. The stevedores were quite unhappy when containerization was implemented. They Were no longer able to open the boxes and help themselves to the contents. They weren'to able to steal a nice set of stainless steel pots and pans. I'm not joking. This happened. I know of a 20 year employee that stole a set of pots and pans, got caught and lost his job. The arrogance and greed was stupid. The money they were making in the early 70's is more that most people are making now.

The theft was rampant. They furnished their homes, they fed their families and they made lots of money. They stole everything.

We the people can stop this "timely" interruption in our fragile economy. The stevedoring union is pushing this one.

I think Harper is strong enough to stand up to these overpaid.....thugs.
We should help him.
Contact your MP.

faithfulreader, When the ILWU lost the container clause, the thing that pissed them off about it was the fact that there were dozens of jobs lost because of it. Stuffing and destuffing containers provided many jobs. Now those jobs are gone forever.

For you to come and post your slander and accusations here is pretty brave. I'm sure the ILWU will have something to say about it.

Read my comments above. You will see how things are in reality with the threat of or an actual strike situation on the waterfront in BC. The feds will deal with it just like they always have in the past.

There will be no real strike and the workers will get what they are asking for, just like they always have in the past.

seamutt, the BCMEA is the association that represents the employers. There are multiple employers on the BC coast. The BCMEA negotiates with the ILWU on behalf of the employers. So, I'm not sure what it is you're saying.

In saner countries the Boards of such organizations/companies have both management and workers on them. Strikes are avoided excpet in extrem situations when there is a true disagreement at the Board.

Many of us have been watching this for decades in North America. I keep scratching my head wondering why supposedly smart people cannot figure this out to the benefit of everyone.

"Stupid is as stupid does".

Collective bargaining is a human right.
Anyone who thinks taking away the rights of anyone should be ashamed of themselves.

Gus, coastb, dragon master, and sea mutt get it.
As for the others?
?

Dragonmaster the article states the employers started the postering. Per chance are you an employer and are disgusted about paying your employees anything?

Collective bargaing has become collective extortion. It is no right. The allied troops charged the beaches of Normandy shouting ' prepare to die for collective bargaining....Not. Union extortion has always concentrated on bottlenecks of any kind. 2 BC ports are prime examples, as are ferries,railroads and the like. The feds should declare this an essential service immediatlty and rule out any chance of a work stoppage. I like the idea of a binding mediation process that takes away all chances of the rest of the economy being held hostage by these self interested entities.

Seamutt, your working joe vs evil management line of thinking underlines why the rest of the country is sick and tired of Unions and there self serving BS..

"The allied troops charged the beaches of Normandy shouting ' prepare to die for collective bargaining....Not"

Actually you idiot, they did. Are you saying they died for only some of the freedoms we enjoy today and collective bargaining wasn't one of them?

You just insulted thousands of vets around the world who fought and died for all our freedoms. Who are you to say what our freedoms are?
How dare you say such garbage. You talk like a Nazi.

If it wasn't for unions there wouldn't be half the benefits or great working conditions we all enjoy today, including non union employees.

It's your own lack of skill that is the reason you're unable to qualify for a union job that brings you here. We've seen your kind before.

It's people like you that create situations like the one we see unfolding in Egypt.

What are the points of argument between the two sides? The longshoremen are some of the highest paid blue collar workers in North America so if this is strictly about dollars I have a hard time being sympathetic. If the issue is about job pretection,work conditions,safety etc then okay.

Well said Dragonmaster the same could be said about the N.D.P. They also can govern the province of B.C. From what I've been reading about the liberals is that they have a monopoly on all of the answers required to govern B.C. There is also B.C. first and the greeen party and despite what the liberals think I personally would like to let a new party get a start in this province. They should be able to out shine the liberazls.

actually they didn't dragon master you tool. Your union scew on history and people who actually believe your crap are sad. I never came close to insulting any vets. Do you think wwii vets fought and died for forced unionization of people with no desire to unionize, was what the war was about? Taking mandatory payments off paychecks for duboius union initiatives and being represented by left wing wingnuts was there cause. Thats not freedom. Thats the crap we were fighting. Pull the union syringe out of your pea brain.

Is that jealousy I smell. Or just a right wing rant?

Actually dow, the vets of the free world all fought for all the freedoms we have including the right to belong to a union or not.
You forget dow, unions are the people that belong to them by choice, they are not forced to belong. Unions are not an alien entity that hypnotizes people into joining them. Having the choice is what vets fought for. You are insulting vets everywhere.

Are you a business owner that treated your employees like dirt who then joined a union to bring humanity back into their work place and lives?

You sure sound like one.

Another thing dow. There are mechanisms in place to de-certify unions in the work place. If they are so bad why aren't people lining up to have their unions de-certified?

Sorry dragon. all union memebers are NOT there by choice. Unions can certify on far less than a simple majority. As well, what is with the unions drive to have no secret ballots. Why to intimidate employees who don't follow the union agenda of course. Putting Union membership and collective bargaining in the same rights as freedom of speech or religeon is insulting to vets. Not the other way around. Its obvious that I won't change your views, or you mine. But putting union values on a pedestal is a joke. They are big selfseving entities with guarranteed cash flow from dues. Ask a BC rail employee how their union sold them out. Wake up man.

Sorry dow, yes they are there by choice. If you don't want to be a union employee your choice/freedom is to not apply for that job. You have the freedom of choice, one you wouldn't have if it wasn't for our vets. Some unions offer you the choice to donate your dues to charity for certain reasons. I'm glad the vets of the free world fought for that freedom, the freedom of personal choice.

The vets of the free world fought for "ALL FREEDOMS", not just the ones you decide they fought for just to try and make your opinion the correct one.

Hmmm, It's becoming clearer. Tell us dow, how did your BC Rail union sell you out?