Photo: Wikimedia Commons

Osprey in the ferry terminal at Balfour.

The all-out strike is set 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 BC General Employees’ Union (BCGEU) to begin Sunday at 12:00 p.m. at Western Pacific Marine Ferries operations at Balfour (Kootenay Lake), with operations of Glade and Harrop cable ferries. 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 the agreements with Waterbridge and Waterbridge Equipment, BCGEU Treasurer Maria Bennett said in a press release.

“Ferry workers are demanding a fair and equitable settlement, comparable wage increases, necessary schedule adjustments, expanded benefits for ancillary workers and crucial support for training,” she said. “Western Pacific Marine has the means to meet these demands and the workers are united in their position.”

Bennett said ferry workers are committed to maintaining essential service, with three weekday trips on the Osprey — which crosses Kootenay Lake — only for essential trips and emergency vehicle access outside of that schedule. There will be no weekend sailings.

To kick off the strike, a solidarity rally is scheduled for Sunday, November 3 at 11:30 a.m. at Balfour Terminal.
“This strike reflects the determination of ferry workers to achieve industry-aligned conditions and hold Western Pacific Marine accountable to fair standards,” Bennett said.

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

WaterBridge Equipment also 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 gave the union optimism for a similar deal in the south.

“We hope that Western Pacific Marine will come to the table ready to accept increases in line with the rest of the industry,” he said in a news release.

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

Finch said current wages and training that are insufficient to ensure the ferry’s long-term sustainability could be rectified if workers accept the new agreement.

The three ferries serving Upper Arrow Lake and the Adams Lake Ferry have had a 50 percent reduction in trips for more than two weeks as workers sought a new collective bargaining agreement.

Further on

• Upper Arrow Lakes Ferry Employee Offer

• Possible strike Thursday for Kootenay Lake ferry workers