The Longshoremen’s Protective Union is expressing disbelief after learning that its employer, the St. John’s Shipping Association, has filed an application seeking “essential service” designation for the work they do.

The move now stalls the union’s legal strike position.

Union members, who work at Harvey’s and Oceanex, are seeking wage parity with stevedores in Halifax and Montreal.

The president of the LSPU (I.L.A) Local 1953, Chris Gosse, says the application came at the end of a 21-day cooling-off period, and the union cannot give strike notice until the Canadian Industrial Relations Board makes a determination on the application.

Gosse sees that as amounting to interference with their right to strike.

They had a 100 percent strike mandate in March. He believes the application is using the Labour Code to interfere with “free collective bargaining.”