Tentative deal in Westshore Terminals dispute

Westshore Terminals Limited Partnership has reached an agreement with Local 502 of the International Longshore and Warehouse Union (ILWU).

The new six-year agreement expires on January 31, 2028, and is subject to a ratification vote by the end of October 2022.

Work resumed at the terminal commencing the afternoon of October 9, 2022.

Negotiations with Local 502 were the first of three locals and talks with the other two ILWU Locals (514 and 517) will be scheduled in the near future.

Partly as a result of the labour disruption, the terminal has lowered its annual throughput estimate for 2022 from 27.5 million tonnes to 24 to 25 million tonnes. The company said that less than expected performance from BNSF (the rail carrier for itsUS customers) for the second half of the year is also contributing to the decline.

The estimated throughput volume assumes no further work stoppages or other disruptions to the regular business operations. The anticipated average loading rate for 2022 is slightly above $12.00 per tonne.

Westshore Terminals is a wholly owned subsidiary Westshore Terminals Limited Partnership.

It is Canada’s busiest coal export terminal, handling more than 33 million tonnes of coal annually.

Operating since 1970 in Port Metro Vancouver, Westshore serves Canadian coal mines and United States mines in the Powder River Basin of Montana and Wyoming.