British Columbia Maritime Employers Association’s (BCMEA) member companies generated over 7 million work hours throughout BC in 2013. 2013’s 7,002,127 hours was the third record year in a row – approximately 4.6 per cent higher than 2012. Robust exports of Canadian resources and import container volumes drove the increases supported by the operational and marketing efforts of our member terminals, shipping lines, and agencies to establish BC as the preferred destination for international cargo.
The future looks very bright with long-term labour stability, courtesy of a historic eight-year collective agreement that does not expire until 2018, and a world-class training regime in place anchored by the BCMEA’s Waterfront Training Centre that opened in September 2013. In 2012 and 2013, BCMEA recruited over 1,000 workers into the waterfront industry (including over 160 skilled tradespersons) and trained over 2,000 workers in 42 different skill ratings making it one of the largest industrial training institutions in North America.
BCMEA is the multi-employer waterfront organization, representing approximately 65 shipowners and agents, stevedores, container, bulk and breakbulk terminal operators on Canada’s west coast, extending from Victoria north to the Alaska border. At its core, BCMEA is a service provider of labour relations for the waterfront employers in British Columbia, representing employer interests on regulatory issues in the areas of labour relations, pensions, legislative reform, Canada Labour Code, health and safety, human rights and employment equity.
In addition to labour relations activities, the BCMEA oversees the training and recruitment of the International Longshore and Warehouse Union (ILWU) Canadian Area and the daily dispatch of labour for the Vancouver local of the Union.