By Mark Edward Nero
Port Metro Vancouver and the governments of Canada and British Columbia on May 2 announced joint funding of $1.71 million for an expedited initiative to outfit the remainder of the port’s container truck fleet with Global Positioning System (GPS) technology.
With the completion of the initiative, Port Metro Vancouver says it will be the only port in North America to have a full truck fleet using GPS-monitoring. The GPS technology is expected to provide a complete, accurate and real-time base of data enabling insight to routing and operational information to help manage congestion and wait times.
Under an existing GPS program, about half the trucks hauling goods to and from the port were outfitted with GPS transponder units between 2012 and 2013. The remaining trucks are to be outfitted with GPS units as part of the expedited initiative, which is expected to be completed by this July.
The initiative is the result of a March 26 agreement between the governments of Canada and British Columbia and Port Metro Vancouver reached agreement with members of the United Truckers Association and labor union Unifor.
The agreement resulted in the end of a 28-day strike at the port by drayage truck drivers. The expedited implementation of Port Metro Vancouver’s GPS Program represents one point in a 15-point joint action plan agreed to by both sides that the port says will provide a framework for long-term stability in the container trucking industry.
The current round of funding is being split amongst three contributors, with Transport Canada providing $ 855,000, Port Metro Vancouver $ 595,000, and the BC Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure providing $ 260,000. This brings the total cost of the program, which started in 2013, to over $2.5 million.
Showing posts with label United Truckers Association. Show all posts
Showing posts with label United Truckers Association. Show all posts
Tuesday, May 6, 2014
Friday, February 28, 2014
Port Metro Vancouver Truckers
Launch Work Stoppage
By Mark Edward Nero
Members of the United Truckers Association of British Columbia began a work stoppage and set up a blockade at Port Metro Vancouver on Feb. 26 in protest of long wait times at port terminals.
An estimated 1,300 container trucks clogged the port in a protest over the wait times to pick up and drop off containers. UTA representatives have said the waits can sometimes be hours long.
“We’re sitting out on their property two, three hours,” Manny Dosange of the UTA said. “The employers have done their part: they got the work, they got us the container, they got us the appointment to be somewhere with that container, but it’s the receiving end of it that’s not prepared to take it on.”
The port has blamed recent issues with delays at terminals on extreme weather conditions in eastern and central North America, which have resulted in trains being shortened and slowed so they could operate safely. Also, ship delays have been blamed on storms in the Pacific Ocean.
Although the truckers are represented by the non-profit UTA, they’re not officially represented. Another labor organization, Unifor, represents about 400 unionized drivers at the port.
Several hundred trucks not participating in the work stoppage were able to access the port the first day of the strike, Port Metro Vancouver officials said in a statement regarding the labor issues, but acknowledged there have been problems. “We have heard reports of violence and verbal intimidation towards drivers at varied locations outside the port and at port entrances with some truck drivers deciding to turn away,” according to the statement.
The statement goes on to encourage trucking companies to work with truckers to reach common ground on the pay issue. However, Unifor is expected to have a vote on March 1 regarding whether or not to join the non-unionized truckers’ work stoppage. If the strike measure is approved, the union workers would be required to give 72 hours’ notice before walking off the job.
Members of the United Truckers Association of British Columbia began a work stoppage and set up a blockade at Port Metro Vancouver on Feb. 26 in protest of long wait times at port terminals.
An estimated 1,300 container trucks clogged the port in a protest over the wait times to pick up and drop off containers. UTA representatives have said the waits can sometimes be hours long.
“We’re sitting out on their property two, three hours,” Manny Dosange of the UTA said. “The employers have done their part: they got the work, they got us the container, they got us the appointment to be somewhere with that container, but it’s the receiving end of it that’s not prepared to take it on.”
The port has blamed recent issues with delays at terminals on extreme weather conditions in eastern and central North America, which have resulted in trains being shortened and slowed so they could operate safely. Also, ship delays have been blamed on storms in the Pacific Ocean.
Although the truckers are represented by the non-profit UTA, they’re not officially represented. Another labor organization, Unifor, represents about 400 unionized drivers at the port.
Several hundred trucks not participating in the work stoppage were able to access the port the first day of the strike, Port Metro Vancouver officials said in a statement regarding the labor issues, but acknowledged there have been problems. “We have heard reports of violence and verbal intimidation towards drivers at varied locations outside the port and at port entrances with some truck drivers deciding to turn away,” according to the statement.
The statement goes on to encourage trucking companies to work with truckers to reach common ground on the pay issue. However, Unifor is expected to have a vote on March 1 regarding whether or not to join the non-unionized truckers’ work stoppage. If the strike measure is approved, the union workers would be required to give 72 hours’ notice before walking off the job.
