'This is going to get worse before it gets better': Shipyard workers vote overwhelmingly in favour of strike
A large-scale strike by Seaspan workers at the Esquimalt Graving Dock is a real possibility after an overwhelming vote in favour of a strike mandate by unionized workers.
According to the local chapter of the International Brotherhood of Boilermakers, Iron Ship Builders, Blacksmiths, Forgers and Helpers, a vote Thursday came back with 98 per cent in favour of a strike mandate.
“This is going to get worse before it gets better,” said Local 191 spokesperson Robert Taylor.
According to the union, this vote sends a clear message to their employer about how upset workers are, although it does not necessarily launch a strike.
Friday morning, Local 191 issued the results of their strike mandate vote to Seaspan.
Union representatives say they expect a response by Monday next week.
They also say if the results of the vote don’t lead to meaningful discussion and contract negotiation, they could issue a 72-hour strike notice and eventually walk off the job as soon as late next week.
“(Seaspan’s) method of bargaining is a one-sided approach. They aren’t reasonable,” said Taylor.
As many as 1,400 workers from 11 different trade unions could take job action, ranging from boilermakers to electricians to sheet metal workers.
Members say they're upset with Seaspan's latest offer for a new contract, which they say would reduce breaks, adjust work weeks, and doesn't keep up with inflation.
CTV News has reached out to Seaspan for a comment on the results of this vote. A response is expected Friday afternoon.
Seaspan Victoria's operations include maintenance and repair for cruise ships and ferries, as well as work on frigates and submarines for Canadian Forces Base Esquimalt.
The navy base says it doesn't want to get in the middle of the dispute, and that it's investigating what a possible strike could mean for the base. It says a strike could result in adjusting work schedules and maintenance on its vessels.
Correction
This story has been updated to clarify that the Seaspan does not own the Esquimalt Graving Dock. The dock is federally owned and the company is one of several that operates there.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Serial sexual offender linked to unsolved 1970s homicides of four Calgary girls, women
An investigation into unsolved historical homicides from the 1970s has linked the deaths of two girls and two young women in and around Calgary to a now-deceased serial offender.
Woman with liver failure rejected for a transplant after medical review highlights alcohol use
For nearly three months, Amanda Huska has been in an Ontario hospital, part of it on life support, because of severe liver failure. Her history of alcohol use is getting in the way of her only potential treatment: a liver transplant.
A look back on Alberta's record-breaking wildfire season: Preparing for potential challenges in 2024
By the end of the 2023 wildfire season in Alberta, 1,088 wildfires had burned more than 2.2 million hectares of land, and this year, the wildfire season is already in full swing.
BREAKING Craig Berube named as next head coach of Toronto Maple Leafs
The Toronto Maple Leafs have named Craig Berube as their new head coach.
Video appears to show Sean 'Diddy' Combs beating singer Cassie in hotel hallway in 2016
Security video aired by CNN appears to show Sean 'Diddy' Combs physically assaulting singer Cassie in a Los Angeles hotel hallway in 2016.
B.C. man 'attacked suddenly' by adult grizzly near Alberta border: RCMP
A B.C. man is recovering from multiple injuries after he was "attacked suddenly" by an adult grizzly bear near Elkford Thursday afternoon.
Australia's richest woman seeks removal of her portrait from exhibition
Art is subjective. And while many artists long to share their work with the world, there's no guarantee that the audience will understand it, or even like it.
Anglers reel in 3.5-metre-long tiger shark off coast of Florida: 'She found my bait'
A group of fishers said it took roughly 20 minutes to reel in this 3.5-metre-long tiger shark off the coast of Florida.
Scottie Scheffler isn't the first pro golfer to be arrested during a tournament
Scottie Scheffler's arrest hours before his second-round tee time at the PGA Championship in Louisville, Kentucky, will go down as one of the most shocking in professional golf history. It certainly wasn't the first, though.