A federally appointed study group recommended dramatic changes to the way Canada’s West Coast ports do business. But the Three man Study Group’s findings are disputed by labor setting up future debate on waterfront practices.By Leo Quigley, AJOTThe three-man group said in its report that it was “overwhelmingly” told during the year-long study that Canada’s West Coast ports are seen as unreliable and that radical changes are needed. These would include 24/7 operating capability at the ports of Vancouver and Prince Rupert, a different approach towards organized labor and “genuinely flexible” work practices. The report also recommends that the Port of Prince Rupert be included in the recently consolidated Vancouver Fraser Port Authority (VFPA) and says the current system for financing port expansion is “completely inadequate.” As well, the report encourages Ottawa to locate any new initiatives to increase container-handling capacity at the Port of Prince Rupert in the short term rather than the Port of Vancouver. This, it says: “Would allow Vancouver to develop solutions to its congestion.” Ottawa is also encouraged to study Australia’s approach to dock-related labor practices. “Australian ports operate a genuine 24/7 schedule,” it says “with a virtual absence of overtime.” The report also recommends that the PierPass system used at the Port of Los Angeles be adopted by the VFPA. As well, it recommends that a system of inland terminals be established throughout Western Canada to remove containers from port areas more quickly. And, to encourage better rail service at the ports, the report recommended that “all demurrage and service charges currently used by the railway be fully reciprocal.” Among its sweeping recommendations the report also says the governance of Canada’s West Coast ports should be stripped from Ottawa and handed to the provincial government. Reaction to the report by stakeholders has ranged from comments that the report contains some good ideas that need more study and discussion, to those who flatly reject the report’s recommendations. Tom Dufresene, president of the International Longshore and Warehouse Union Canada (ILWU) told AJOT he believes the three-man committee that prepared the report “were flying by the seat of their pants,” and said the report is “not a very well researched paper.” Dufresene disputed claims in the report that the Port of Vancouver in unreliable. “I would challenge that,” he said. “I would compare our productivity and reliability to anywhere else in the world.” Responding to a recommendation that workers at ports in the Lower Mainland should begin working on a 24/7 basis, Dufresene pointed out that ILWU members already work on a 24/7 basis and have done so since 1969. “None of these panelists ever came and interviewed the ILWU,” he said and said its unlikely that union members would support adopting a system for the waterfront similar to Australia’s which the report said is supported by all parties, including labor leaders. “”We we’re told by all parties, including labor leaders, that they consider the current arrangement a success,” the report says. “ Australian ports operate a genuine 24/7 schedule with a virtual absence of overtime. “The workers have a relatively high annual salary with predictable hours, steady employment and known promotion and retirement provisions.” However, Dufresene said the adoption of the revised arrangements at Australian docks did not come easily. “It led to a nine month or a year course of confrontations and demonstrations and rallies. Lots of disruption for the port. “Anybody who says the (Australian) system is a success is misrepresenting the situation totally,” he said. Dufresene was also less than enthusiastic about a recommendation that the B.C. Maritime Employers Association, the industry group that bargains with the union, be done away with. “I don’t think that they took into account the full complexity of port operations here in British Columbia, or in Canad