Victoria Shipyards workers pause job action after Seaspan offers new contract

Esquimalt shipyard workers consider strike Hundreds of shipyard workers with Seaspan in Esquimalt, B.C., are considering striking over the company's latest contract offer.

Unionized workers at Victoria Shipyards have suspended their job action, which banned all work outside of regularly scheduled hours.

The overtime ban came into effect at one minute after midnight Monday, but was paused on Monday afternoon after the union received a new contract offer from employer Seaspan, according to the union.

The new offer is currently under review, and workers are expected to vote on the offer later this week, according to union representative Rob Taylor.

In the meantime, union workers are back to working overtime.

Taylor says the union worked through the weekend to avoid job action, submitting a final proposal to employer Seaspan on Sunday.

A strike notice was initially delivered early last week. On Thursday, 98 per cent of the Seaspan workers voted to approve a strike mandate.

Seaspan operations in Victoria include maintenance and repair for cruise ships and ferries, as well as similar work on frigates and submarines for the Royal Canadian Navy.