The bargaining committee representing 90 WaterBridge Ferries employees has broken its silence on the issues that have contributed to job action and service interruptions on WaterBridge ferry vessels.
The BC General Employees Union issued a 72-hour strike notice to WaterBridge Ferries on September 23 after months of negotiations over a new collective agreement stalled.
WaterBridge then issued a 72-hour employee lockout notice on September 24. Essential service negotiations were conducted, which led to the union enacting an overtime work ban on behalf of the employees on October 1.
The BCGEU has provided minimal details to the public on the status of negotiations and what led to the strike action. Meanwhile, WaterBridge has issued many statements on social media explaining its side of the situation.
The bargaining committee has yet to explain its side of the story—until now.
In an exclusive interview with Vista Radio, Bryce Solomon, Chair of the BC General Employees Union WaterBridge Ferries Bargaining Team, reveals what led to job action, where negotiations stand now, and what the public can expect for the foreseeable future.
What led to the job action?
In recent years, West Kootenay ferries have faced significant staffing shortages that the BCGEU says threaten the viability of service.
A previous statement from the union alleges that rather than training locally and paying standard wages, operators have patched service together by relying heavily on overtime, bringing back retired workers, and even flying in temporary workers from elsewhere in the province at high cost.
“Ferry workers in the Kootenays are incredibly stretched. Staffing shortages have made extensive overtime the norm rather than the exception,” said BCGEU President Paul Finch.
“In our members’ opinion, this has created a dangerous situation that must stop. WaterBridge knows what it will take to recruit and retain the experienced staff needed to operate these crucial ferries: increasing local training and a compensation increase equal to that of the recent BC Ferries adjustments.”
The industry shortage has not spared WaterBridge, with Solomon revealing that from January to September 2024, employees on the Columbia Vessel alone have worked 2,250 hours of overtime, equating to a total of 1,260 sailings worked during overtime hours.
There are also concerns about how WaterBridge staffs its cable vessels. According to Solomon, the cable ferries at Arrow Park and Adams Lake are usually single-person operations, which has raised safety concerns.
“We don’t believe it’s safe for one lone operator to be in charge of emergency situations on the vessels. If there’s a man overboard or a fire, having one person responsible for everything, in our opinion, is not safe. So we’re trying to get that changed as well.”
Solomon says that while he sympathizes with community members impacted by the job action, it is critical that WaterBridge employees stand up for competitive wages to ensure the long-term viability of service.
“There’s never a convenient time for job action that disrupts these communities, but the disruption we are headed for if we don’t get the new staffing needed and the new wages that are required will cause our communities to suffer.
“If we can’t come up with a good deal, and if we continue to run without adequate staff, it’s going to create more cancellations and uncertainty. We’re not just fighting for ourselves here; we’re fighting for the long-term viability of what we know is a vital service for our friends, our families, and our neighbours—most of all, our communities.”
Amid bargaining, the union conducted a job action vote, which saw all 90 WaterBridge employees participate, voting 97 per cent in favour of job action. The fact that the vote had 100 per cent participation is significant, stated Solomon, who says it shows the decision wasn’t taken lightly.
Wages
The BCGEU has alleged that WaterBridge pays its workers an average of 18 per cent less than their counterparts at BC Ferries.
WaterBridge responded to this statement on social media, saying that it in fact pays employees 5.5 per cent more than those at BC Ferries, which Solomon admits is partially true.
In 2019, the BCGEU and WaterBridge underwent contract negotiations. During this process, the employees and employer decided that certain wages be set at specific rates based on the work done within the classification, not just the job classification itself.
At BC Ferries, they employ a variety of professionals, including electricians, plumbers, welders, and fabricators. Sometimes, there are over 30 classifications on one vessel.
Additionally, at BC Ferries, most major rebuilds are done in shipyards and dry docks, which isn’t the case for WaterBridge.
Meanwhile, Solomon says WaterBridge squeezes those 30+ job classifications into seven or eight positions, which is why certain roles within the company are slightly higher than at BC Ferries.
“The employer at the time realized that there are certain jobs that are done more within a classification. So that’s how the wages for certain positions were a little bit higher than BC Ferries—because that employer at the time recognized this.”
What’s Next
The next steps are basic, stated Solomon, who says the union and employees just want to agree on a contract that’s in line with today’s industry standards.
“We would like some dates to bargain with management. Most of all, we want to provide a safe, viable service for our communities, our neighbours, and all of our workers who rely on this for their jobs.
There are many blue-collar people who need our ferry service, as well as a lot of logging industries that require our services to remain viable. The inland ferry system is a huge part of the interior, so we’ve got to keep it going for everybody, and without competitive wages, we can’t.”
WaterBridge stated previously that the BCGEU has yet to agree on a date to resume negotiations, but Solomon said they’ve provided the employer with numerous dates and haven’t heard back.
Western Pacific Marine
Meanwhile, there is still one more day of bargaining between Kootenay Lake ferry operator Western Pacific Marine and the BCGEU, after the union issued a second 72-hour strike notice to the employer on October 7.
The BCGEU issued its first strike notice to the company on September 23. Essential service negotiations led to an agreement on the level of essential service, prompting the union to reissue the strike notice.
Dependent on Wednesday’s bargaining outcome, union members will be in a position to engage in job action as early as Thursday afternoon.
Should job action start, the following sailings may be affected:
- Kootenay Lake Ferry – between Balfour Terminal and Kootenay Bay Terminal
- Glade Cable – between Nelson and Glade
- Harrop Cable – between Harrop and Proctor
Updates on job action and bargaining will be posted here.
