Metro Vancouver Workers Escalate Job Action Over Burrard Inlet Dredging

Unionized Metro Vancouver outside workers have stepped up job action, with picket lines established at two water main projects in Vancouver and North Vancouver.

The Greater Vancouver Regional District Employees’ Union says the projects must be completed before planned dredging beneath the Second Narrows Ironworkers Memorial Bridge can begin in September.

The dredging is intended to allow larger oil tankers carrying greater loads to navigate Burrard Inlet. The plan has received support from the federal government.

The outside workers and Metro Vancouver have been without a new collective agreement for 19 months. The labour dispute has already led to several job actions, including picketing and strikes involving non-essential workers.

Union president Jesse Medeiros says the union does not want to interfere with major federal, provincial or municipal projects, but warned that further job action could target the Burrard Inlet dredging project if a new contract is not reached and ratified.