Protesting owner-operators offered hourly wage

VANCOUVER (Aug. 17, 1999) — The “vast majority” of 19 trucking companies operating at the Port of Vancouver have offered an hourly wage to protesting owner-operators, according to a Labour Relations Board official brought in to broker a deal between the two parties.

LRB facilitator Brian Foley said the hourly would take effect Nov. 1, based upon recommendations of an arbitrator.

A spokesperson for the drivers said the matter would be taken up with the owner-operators, who want to be compensated for delays due to congestion at the port with an hourly wage. The estimated 400 drivers, who withdrew their services July 22 in protest, have rejected two proposals from the carriers that would raise per-trip rates by as much as 40%.

Last week, port officials said more than 7000 containers remain stranded on the docks of Port Vancouver’s three container terminals, and that other traffic is diverting to ports in Seattle and Portland. Each container that passes through Port Vancouver is worth $1000 to the Canadian economy, the port said.

Last Friday, port security officials served official notice to protesters to leave port property.