Lockout looms in Montreal port labor dispute
As a strike by longshore workers cripples container handling, Port of Montreal employers plan to lock out union employees.
The global shipping industry is constantly evolving, and the COVID-19 pandemic began a marked shift in how container shipping operates. Disruption caused by the pandemic has forced the industry to expand its capacity and reduce costs to remain profitable.
At the peak of the pandemic, containers essentially stopped moving. As manufacturers went into lockdown and closed factories, many of the containers used to ship those manufactured goods were left stranded at ports or storage depots, where they weren’t needed. Simultaneously, freight shippers were reducing the number of vessels in use due to the manufacturing slowdown. This limited global shipping capacity and disrupted the worldwide flow of containers and goods. As a result, some regions were left with an excess of stored containers, while other places were left with no containers at all.
As the pandemic slowed and the global economy began to rebound, labor shortages and congestion at ports have left many of these stored containers stuck where they aren’t needed. Now, instead of a shortage of shipping containers, the industry is dealing with too many. Many container storage depots are turning away new clients due to lack of space, and some shippers are even giving containers away to make room. Blank and cancelled sailings are increasing as well, as shippers decide to skip a port or cancel a trip altogether in order to manage changes in demand and capacity.
Check back here for the latest news and insights on the state of the container shipping industry. You can also visit our maritime news archive to learn more about cargo shipping, or our American Shipper archive for air cargo shipping industry news.
As a strike by longshore workers cripples container handling, Port of Montreal employers plan to lock out union employees.
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Employers at the Port of Montreal say they will suspend salary guarantees for striking longshore workers who have shut down two container terminals.
The British Columbia Maritime Employers Association representing ocean carriers and terminal operators plan to lock out union forepersons after the International
Longshore and Warehouse Union rejected a final contract offer.
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The ONE alliance of container vessel lines posted second-quarter revenue on an early peak shipping season thanks to attacks on a key Mideast route and looming East Coast longshore strike.
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While tens of thousands of unionized longshore employees picket at ports along the East and Gulf coasts, the number of container ships waiting outside major maritime hubs continues to grow by the day.
While tens of thousands of unionized longshore employees picket at ports along the East and Gulf coasts, union leaders say they have received death threats during a work stoppage that has shut down vital container imports.
Shipping lines say they’re open to resuming contract negotiations with the International Longshoremen’s Association, which has shut down container imports at major East Coast ports.
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Container flows in August surged in Houston and New Orleans, while global demand for crude oil continued to push exports through Corpus Christi, Texas.
Barring last-minute developments, the International Longshoremen’s Association said it plans to follow through on plans to strike at ports throughout the East and Gulf Coasts and bring container and ro-ro handling to a standstill.
From the White House on down, everyone has different strategies and different expectations when it comes to the port labor dispute.
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The International Longshoremen’s Association has adopted a resolute stance in negotiations with East Coast port employers from Maine to Houston. There’s speculation that sympathy work stoppages could spread to West Coast container gateways.
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No talks are scheduled between employers and the International Longshoremen’s Association, which represents unionized workers at ports on the U.S. East and Gulf coasts. Bargaining has stalled over technology and pay issues.
The ILA maintains that it will not accept any extension of their current contract nor any potential mediation by the federal government.
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In a lawsuit dating back to 2018, CSX accused rival Norfolk Southern of jacking up rates for dockside access to the East Coast container gateway.
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