Canada Orders Ports to Restart as Labor Disputes Choke Trade (3)

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s government directed an independent labor board to end lockouts at Canada’s largest ports, as it did with railways in August, to stop an economic disruption in the country.

Labor Minister Steven MacKinnon announced that he has invoked his authority under the Canada Labor Code and forced the matter to the Canada Industrial Relations Board, requesting it to order the parties to go back to work, resume operations and enter into an arbitration process to resolve the dispute.

The use of this measure is highly unusual, and could further damage the Liberal government’s relations with labor ...