Parties to Meet with FMCS

The BCMEA and ILWU Local 514 are scheduled to meet with the assistance of the Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service (FMCS) on Saturday, November 9 at 17:00 PT. 

In a sincere effort to bring these drawn-out negotiations to a close, the BCMEA provided a competitive final offer to ILWU Local 514 on October 30, 2024. The final offer has been on the table for over a week and represents a fair and balanced proposal for employees, and if accepted would end this dispute. The offer does not require any concessions from the union.  

The final offer includes: 

• An increase in median foreperson compensation from $246,323 to $293,617. 
• An average $21,000 lump sum payment.
• Increase to retirement benefit from $93,750 to $108,750, over and above pension entitlements. 

ILWU Local 514 responded to the final offer with strike notice followed by industry-wide strike action on Monday, November 4.  

This afternoon, ILWU Local 514 filed a complaint at the CIRB, in which it has complained about the BCMEA’s conduct in bargaining. As with earlier union complaints – all dismissed by the CIRB – we will be denying any wrongdoing. 

Despite the distraction of having to defend against what we view to be another meritless claim, the BCMEA remains committed to negotiating a fair and equitable agreement that recognizes the efforts and skills of the waterfront workforce and restores supply chain operations as quickly as possible.    

We will continue to provide updates as appropriate.  

Last updated: November 7, 2024, 6:30 PM PT