Truckers preparing for midday rally in Vancouver
Posted March 20, 2014 4:46 pm.
This article is more than 5 years old.
VANCOUVER (NEWS1130) – Truckers say they are ready for a noon hour rally tomorrow, and that could affect your mid morning commute.
Some major routes could be extra busy as they make their way to Canada Place.
The details are still be finalized says Gavin McGarrigle with UNIFOR.
“Probably going to be some truckers taking their trucks down. It usually starts around the Highway 91 pullout in Delta there. Probably be around 9 or 10 a.m. I don’t think that would be a location for speeches or anything like that, but I think that’s where some people would assemble.”
He says they are not looking to inconvenience drivers.
“We are out here to send a message that negotiation is the only way forward here.”
Expect Canada Place to be incredibly busy. “We are burning up the phone lines trying to make sure that we can reach out to anyone and everyone that we think can help.”
Threats of back-to-work legislation haven’t convinced striking port truckers in Vancouver to return to their jobs.
The strike involves more than 1,000 non-unionized truckers and several hundred members of UNIFOR.
The BC government has announced plans to table legislation and the port has sent out notices to as many as 150 truckers telling them their licence’s to use the port won’t be renewed.
McGarrigle says there is also the possibility of legal action over a plan to pressure truckers to return to work and they’re considering going to jail if necessary.
