BC work refusal
JAN 24  Overview ... Around 1 p.m., staff at Douglas, Pac Highway, Aldergrove, and Huntington, BC learned of an Armed and Dangerous lookout. Two persons were wanted for murder in California and were likely heading towards Canada. Intelligence later confirmed this. By 1:50 p.m., RCMP was on site at Pac Highway, parked behind the Customs building out of sight to incoming traffic. By 2:00 p.m., a female Customs Officer working the PIL booth on the only open lane exercised her right to refuse dangerous work under Section 2 of the CLC. A Superintendent took over.  All staff in the office was advised of the situation and joined the refusal.  All staff at Douglas then exercised their right to refuse dangerous work. 

Prior to the work refusal being communicated to the shift superintendent, the port of Douglas was informed that the suspect vehicle was seconds away. U.S. Customs had the road between ports funnelled off and had been checking for this vehicle for a while (they were positioned at the Peace Arch, which is half way between both ports – some 100 metres from Pac Highway). The suspect vehicle arrived at this choke point at high speed.  It was followed by a number of U.S. law enforcement vehicles. The suspect vehicle sped around the U.S. Customs vehicles, crossed a large, grassy median and headed south again. The vehicle was then rammed by a U.S. law enforcement vehicle and five shots were fired at the suspects. One was wounded and the other captured about 50 feet from the vehicle. 

There was much confusion as to whether the two suspects were in custody or not with the story going back and forth a number of times over a 20 minute period.  Staff refused to return to work while the issue was still unclear.  

At about 2:45 p.m. an Occupational Health and Safety Committee met at Pac Highway.  Management presented reasons why it felt no danger existed and asked if staff would return to work.  Staff was dissatisfied with the reasons and HRSDC Labour Programs were called in.  

At 6:15 p.m. a Labour Affairs Officer from HRSDC arrived at Pac Highway.  Local management, union and management representatives on the OHS Committee, the two officers who submitted work refusals (one from Pac Highway and one from Douglas) and CEUDA’s Executive Steward for the BC Southern Branch met with HRSDC. The meeting lasted until 9:00 p.m. as the Labour Affairs Officer gathered information from all concerned parties.  

It was made clear that any ruling would pertain only to whether a dangerous situation existed at the present time and not when the work refusal was actually launched.   

At 9:10 p.m., a notification of no danger was issued. Staff returned to work at Pac Highway.  Douglas remained closed until midnight due to the criminal investigation that took place. 

All local superintendents were called in to work as well as a number of superintendents from VIA and Metro Vancouver District. In all, about 12 managers were called in to clear traffic.