Talks Break Down in Vancouver Port Truckers' Strike

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alks broke down Wednesday between the Port of Vancouver, British Columbia, and truckers over the truckers’ demands for higher pay, the Vancouver Sun newspaper reported Thursday.

Shipping companies are charging that the truckers are holding the public to “ransom” levels with demands for pay increases on the level of 60%, the paper said.

A coalition of 40 shipping companies has offered 18.5% immediately and another 10% on Jan. 1, 2006. The truckers, represented by the Vancouver Container Truckers' Association, argue that the offer still won't provide a decent wage, the Sun reported.

A mediator appointed by the federal and provincial governments to help resolve the dispute has been unable to do so, and talks broke down Wednesday, the paper said.

Containers are piling up on the docks, and the port is prevented by the Canada Marine Act from putting any money on the table and largely powerless to affect the dispute, the paper said.

The Sun reported that the 250 unionized truckers who work under a collective bargaining agreement have struck illegally and could be ordered back to work as soon as this week.

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