Farmers across the nation are suffering the blows of the current grain terminal strike in Vancouver, including southern Alberta farmers, who say they are frustrated.
Alberta Grains Region 1 director Dave Bishop said producers are still recovering from last month’s rail strike.
“In farming we get one paycheque a year — and that’s now,” Bishop said. “It pays our bills, it puts money in the bank for next year’s crop. Now, it’s on hold again. It was on hold with the dual rail strike and now it’s on hold with the strike at the terminals.
“It’s becoming very, very frustrating.”
Both the Grain Workers Local Union 333 and its employer, the Vancouver Terminal Elevators Association, said they could not come to an agreement on a new contract.
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Now that the strike is underway, grain farmers say they’re losing millions of dollars in lost exports.
“For every day of disruption, it’s probably $50 million per day that comes out of the farmers pocket,” Bishop said.
A statement from Shannon Sereda, Alberta Grains director of government relations, policy, and markets, said the strike is leaving farmers helpless, with no options to move their product.
“Every day of disruption compounds delays, with rail services halted and grain elevators at capacity, leaving farmers unable to deliver their crops. This backlog threatens cash flow, grain quality, and Canada’s global reputation as a grain supplier.
“The knock-on effects could be devastating to our farmers and the entire grain industry.”
Bishop believes it’s no coincidence the union chose to strike during harvest — the most crucial time of year for farmers.
“It’s unfair to the economy of Canada, and to us as producers, to be held hostage [by the strike],” Bishop said.
The Alberta Grains director says the two parties need to settle, and if they can’t settle, he hopes an arbitrator steps in.
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