B.C. port dispute: Union plans court challenge [Video]

The union representing more than 700 locked out supervisors at British Columbia ports said it will go to court to fight for its right to negotiate through collective bargaining.

The International Longshore and Warehouse Union Ship & Dock Foremen Local 514 released a statement on Tuesday afternoon following an announcement by Labour Minister Steven Mackinnon that he plans to end the labour impasse by ordering binding arbitration.

“We are at a total impasse and the way forward is not clear,” Mackinnon said at an Ottawa news conference. “The duration of the disputes is not clear.”

The BC Maritime Employers Association locked the dock supervisors out after the union gave 72-hour strike notice.

Union leaders have said they had planned to begin job action by refusing overtime, before the employer took the more drastic step of completely shutting down operations at all B.C. ports.

Frank Morena, president of ILWU Local 514, …