Halifax Herald
Tuesday September 9, 1997
Tom Peters
Transportation Reporter
Fired dockworkers from Liverpool, England, brought their labor problems to Halifax on Monday, closing the port for five hours.
The timing couldn't have been worse for the port, as hundreds of delegates from the international shipping community arrived in town to attend Port Days at the World Trade and Convention Centre.
Six Liverpool workers set up information pickets at Lower Water Street and Terminal Road, the entrance to Halterm container terminal and in the north end near Ceres container terminal.
The six workers are among 500 unionized dockworkers fired by their employer nearly two years ago in a labor dispute. They were replaced by non-union workers.
The Liverpool 'dockers' have surfaced at several ports around the world, disrupting port activites as they target shipping lines that call at Liverpool.
On Monday, over 170 Halifax workers from three locals representing longshoremen, checkers and gearmen refused to cross picket lines.
As a result, two container ships owned by ACL and ZIM, plus a cable vessel at Pier 9, were not serviced.
Wade Elliott, executive director of the Halifax-Dartmouth Port Development Commission, which organized Port Days, said he was extremely disappointed at local labor's decision to support the Liverpool workers and stay away from work.
Mr. Elliott said Port Days is intended to show the shipping community the "strong, co-ordinated team we have here in Halifax.
"I'm disappointed in labor for not holding up its end. We have been let down."
But David Nauss, president of Local 269, International Longshoremen's Association, said his local "did not endorse" the workers' action.
"We had no communication with these people," he said.
"Labor here is stable and reliable. It's the worst possible timing for it."
But one union member, who asked not to be identified, said Halifax workers considered it a "moral issue" to back the Liverpool dockworkers.
"It's a trend taking place around the world to get rid of unionized workers and replace them with part-time workers and scabs," the man said.
He also confirmed local members have made financial contributions to the Liverpool workers' international campaign.
The Halifax locals are in contract talks with the Halifax Employers Association, but both sides said the disruption had nothing to do with the negotiations.
Rob Fisher, general manager of the Halifax Employers Association, called the union action "incomprehensible" and said he asked union members Sunday for their co-operation in case the rumoured picketing by English dockworkers materialized.
Calling Monday's action an "illegal strike," Mr. Fisher said the locals could pay dearly for their decision.
The shipping lines are expected to file a grievance with the union and seek financial damages, and the association could also take disciplinary action against the locals.
"It was totally irresponsible on behalf of the foreign workers, coming here and shutting down an operation in Canada," said David Bellefontaine, president of the Halifax Port Corporation.
"And it was irresponsible for our guys to honor the (picket) line," he said.
Mr. Bellefontaine said that with over 600 people gathered for Port Days, the action couldn't have come at a worse time.
"There will be repercussions throughout the industry," he said.
"It gives us a bruise, and if you get too many bruises, customers
will go elsewhere."
