Grain workers at the Port of Vancouver have gone on strike in protest over their pay and working conditions.
The Grain Workers Union Local 333 walked off the job after negotiations aimed at reaching a new collective agreement with the Vancouver Terminal Elevator Association broke down.
The strike comes at a difficult time for Canada’s agriculture sector as farmers try to sell grains during the current harvest season.
The Port of Vancouver handled more than half (52%) of all the grain produced in Canada last year, according to the Grain Growers of Canada trade group.
The work stoppage could prevent about 100,000 metric tonnes of grain from arriving at the Vancouver Port’s shipping terminals each day, and lead to a loss of $35 million.
The grain workers union has more than 750 members and the strike is impacting several terminals at the Port of Vancouver, including the Richardson International Terminal and the Cargill Terminal.
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