Striking longshore workers have reached a deal to end a two-week walkout at BC ports..According to a statement from the International Longshore and Warehouse Union, the deal was reached just 10 minutes prior to a 10:30 a.m. (PST) deadline from a federal mediator..The statement was just one line and captioned: “In Solidarity, your ILWU 502 Officers and Executives.”.Terms have not been disclosed, but the agreement is reportedly for a four-year term..It still needs to be ratified by both sides, but the British Columbia Maritime Employers Association (BCMEA) said it hopes to “resume cargo operations as quickly and safely as possible.”.In addition, it said it also hopes to “rebuild the reputation of Canada’s largest gateway and ensure supply chain stability and resilience for the future.”.The news didn’t stop the Greater Vancouver Board of Trade from halting a real-time ticker on its website. At last count after the deal was announced it estimated losses from the strike at $9.8 billion..Alberta Premier Danielle Smith was gushing with praise for the agreement and said she was “pleased” with the deal and went as far as to credit the efforts of the federal government “in advancing their authority under the Canada Labour Code.” .”West Coast ports play an important role in Alberta’s economy, exporting about $50 million of Alberta’s key commodities every day. Alberta has been advocating since day one for the federal government to step up and ensure a timely resolution to this strike,” she wrote in a Facebook post..“Today’s agreement is in the best interest of both workers and employers, and it will allow us to return to normal operations and get our product to market.”
