Over the past few days labour tensions have spilled over in Prince Rupert. On Saturday Wolverine Terminals notified about 10 of their employees that they were being locked out over picketing and limited job action with the International Longshore and Warehouse Union, Local 400.

Wolverine Terminals operates a refuelling barge for ships docked in Prince Rupert harbour with about 10 fuelling operators on two shifts.

The Union and Wolverine have been trying to negotiate a new collective agreement for over a year, and it all came to a head after Local 400 workers started a rotating picket.

The company did not comment on the lockout, only to say they are bargaining with the Union.

This comes at the same time the BC Federation of Labour issued a hot edict on specific products at the Trigon terminal in Prince Rupert.

A “hot” edict calls on neighbouring unions and their members not to handle certain goods from an employer until a labour dispute is resolved, in solidarity for the striking union.

That declaration comes in support of ILWU Local 523 longshore workers at Trigon, who’ve been striking for better pay and benefits for more than a month. 

Today we speak with Jason Woods, president of the ILWU Local 400 about why his Union brothers were locked out and what the Union is asking for at the table.