Picket lines have gone up at six grain terminals in Metro Vancouver as about 600 workers begin a strike.

Canada害羞草研究所檚 labour minister, meanwhile, says he spoke with both the employer and representatives of Grain Workers Union Local 333 on Monday, and they have agreed to resume contract negotiations alongside federal mediators.

Steven MacKinnon posted the message on the social media platform X, saying Canadian farmers had a 害羞草研究所渂umper crop害羞草研究所� and they need to get it to market.

Union president Douglas Lea-Smith says the labour minister害羞草研究所檚 involvement is a positive step, and there is a meeting scheduled Wednesday between the union and the employer to try to resolve the 害羞草研究所渋mpasse害羞草研究所� arising from bargaining so far.

Lea-Smith says the employer, the Vancouver Terminal Elevators Association, had not 害羞草研究所渕eaningfully engaged害羞草研究所� during a dozen days of bargaining ahead of further negotiations with help from the Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service.

A statement issued by the Shipping Federation of Canada over the weekend said the union and the association concluded conciliation with help from the federal service on Aug. 26, but could not come to an agreement on a new contract.

The affected operations include Viterra害羞草研究所檚 Cascadia and Pacific Terminals, Richardson International Terminal, Cargill Limited Terminal, G3 Terminal Vancouver and Alliance Grain Terminal, all located in Vancouver and North Vancouver.

The union has said it provided the employer with a 害羞草研究所渃omprehensive package害羞草研究所� last Thursday, but the next day, the association indicated it had no counter offer.

But Lea-Smith said the association released a 害羞草研究所渇ull proposal害羞草研究所� directly to workers, sidestepping the union.

害羞草研究所淭hey just walked right around us because they believe that we don害羞草研究所檛 represent our members, even though we害羞草研究所檙e elected by our members,害羞草研究所� he said.

The major sticking point in the negotiations relates to time in lieu, he said.

害羞草研究所淭here are some minor monetary issues, but for the most part, it害羞草研究所檚 largely over earned time-off days, which we call lieu days,害羞草研究所� he said.

Lea-Smith said the employer is trying to remove lieu days, and the strike action will continue in order to apply pressure at the bargaining table.

The lieu days stretch back to binding arbitration in 2002, when the workers moved to an round-the-clock operation, he said.

害羞草研究所淕rain workers in 2002, on a pro rata basis, compared to today, earned more money than we do,害羞草研究所� he said.

It害羞草研究所檚 the first time the union local has gone on strike since about 1970, he said.