The "International Longshore and Warehouse Union Canada" (ILWUC) and the "British Columbia Marine Employers Association" (BCMEA) announced last night that they have reached a new preliminary agreement to resolve the ongoing dispute between them since the beginning of July.

Both parties encouraged their members in a joint statement to endorse this new proposal for a collective agreement.

They also referred to the contribution of the Canadian Industrial Relations Board (CCRI / CIRB), a federal government agency, in reaching the agreement.

The agreement was reached following the issuance of a decision by Federal Labor Minister Seamus O'Regan, assigning the Canadian Industrial Relations Board to determine whether it is still possible for the two parties to find common ground. If the board finds that this is no longer possible, it will impose arbitration, according to Minister O'Regan.

The union's rejection of the latest preliminary agreement last Friday encouraged the federal government to intervene to resolve the dispute affecting the ports of British Columbia along the Pacific coast.

Union members and employer association members now must vote on this preliminary agreement.

Neither side disclosed the details of the new agreement, but the employer association stated that the previously rejected contract included a wage increase of 19.2% and a signing bonus of about $3,000 for each full-time worker.

The association added that as a result, the average annual salary for unionized port workers was likely to rise from $136,000 to $162,000, not accounting for the pension and social benefits.

The "International Longshore and Warehouse Union Canada" represents around 7,400 workers in a labor dispute with the "British Columbia Marine Employers Association."