Strike notice issued by ferry workers union for Kootenay Lake

Photo: Wikimedia Commons

The Osprey in the ferry terminal at Balfour.

Full strike action is scheduled to begin this weekend as negotiations between the ferry workers’ union and its employers have broken down.

As a result, a 72-hour strike notice was issued Friday by the B.C. General Employees’ Union (BCGEU) to start at 12 p.m. on Sunday at Western Pacific Marine Ferries operations at Balfour (Kootenay Lake), with cable ferry operations Glade and Harrop unaffected by job action at this time.

The escalation follows what the union described as an unsatisfactory offer from the employer that would disadvantage its members.

The offer does not meet the standards set by agreements with Waterbridge Ferries, said Maria Bennett, BCGEU treasurer, in a press release.

“Ferry workers are calling for a fair and equitable deal, comparable wage increases, necessary scheduling adjustments, extended benefits for auxiliary workers, and crucial training support,” she said. “Western Pacific Marine has the means to meet these demands, and workers are unified in their stance.”

Bennett said the ferry workers are committed to maintaining essential services, with three weekday sailings on the Osprey — which travels across Kootenay Lake — for essential travel only and emergency vehicle access outside this schedule. No weekend sailings will occur.

To begin the strike, a solidarity rally is set for 11:30 a.m. on Sunday, Nov. 3, at the Balfour terminal.

“This strike reflects ferry workers’ determination to achieve industry-aligned conditions and hold Western Pacific Marine accountable to fair standards,” said Bennett.

Over one week ago it was announced that WaterBridge Ferries — which operates Upper Arrow Lake ferry, Needles ferry, Arrow Park ferry and Adams Lake ferry — had reached a tentative agreement with its 90 employees, returning the inland ferry operations to full service.

As well, WaterBridge Equipment reached a tentative agreement with BCGEU members working on the Francois Lake ferry.

BCGEU president Paul Finch said the tentative agreements respected “the importance of these ferries and the work required to operate them” in the north, and it had given the union optimism for a similar deal down south.

“(W)e hope that Western Pacific Marine will come to the table ready to agree to increases in line with the rest of the industry,” he said in a press release.

Ferries operated by Western Pacific Marine around Nelson include: Kootenay Lake ferry; Glade cable ferry; and Harrop cable ferry.

Finch said current wages and training that were not sufficient to ensure the long-term sustainability of the ferries could be rectified if workers accept the new agreement.

The three ferries servicing Upper Arrow Lake and the Adams Lake ferry have had a 50 per cent reduction in sailings for more than two weeks as workers sought a new collective agreement.

Further afield

• Deal for Upper Arrow Lakes ferry employees

• Strike possible Thursday for Kootenay Lake ferry workers