The union representing foremen at British Columbia鈥檚 ports say members have voted overwhelmingly to authorize strike action if necessary in an ongoing labour dispute with port employers.

International Longshore and Warehouse Union鈥檚 Ship and Dock Foremen Local 514 says in a statement that members voted 96 per cent 鈥渋ndustry-wide鈥� in favour of authorizing a strike.

However, no 72-hour strike or lockout notice has been issued.

The union said previously that it had 鈥渘o interest in an industry-wide dispute鈥� since it wanted to negotiate with one employer 鈥� DP World Canada 鈥� directly on the issue of automation.

But the Canada Industrial Relations Board said the union can鈥檛 bargain with DP World alone, which the union says forced members to take an industry-wide vote.

Local 514 president Frank Morena says in a statement the union 鈥渄oes not seek to negotiate through the media鈥� but members want to fight back against what he describes as DP World鈥檚 attempt to lower existing minimum manning levels.

The B.C. Maritime Employers Association says in an update that it has made offers 鈥渙ver the last 16 months 鈥� that would have resulted in a competitive and balanced deal to ILWU Local 514 members鈥� with 鈥渟ignificant gains in wages and benefits without any concession requests from employers.鈥�

鈥淲e remain committed to bargaining in good faith and seeking a balanced agreement that recognizes the hard work of the 730 forepersons on B.C.鈥檚 waterfront while ensuring West Coast ports remain competitive, resilient and affordable for all Canadians,鈥� the association says in its update.

Morena says the employers responded to a counter-offer by the union by filing a complaint with the Canada Industrial Relations Board, necessitating the union鈥檚 vote to authorize strike action.

鈥淟et me be clear on behalf of our membership: there will be no new collective agreements until the outstanding issues at the bargaining table are addressed,鈥� Morena says in his statement. 鈥淲e do not want a lockout or strike 鈥� we want a fair new contract.鈥�

The last agreement expired more than a year ago, in March 2023.

The union with more than 700 members says negotiations last year, this January and this summer all failed to deliver a new deal and the CIRB is now mediating.

Strike action in 2023 by thousands of workers in a separate dispute at B.C.鈥檚 ports shut down most operations for 13 days and froze billions in trade at the docks.

Then, in August, work stoppages at both major Canadian railways disrupted port operations again.

The employers鈥� association says the ongoing dispute with port foremen 鈥渄oes little to assure Canadians and global trading partners of supply chain stability.鈥�