Our union, our responsibility: Pee-Jay gives back

I’ve been with BC Ferries for about seven years. I came to Canada as a temporary foreign worker and started out working at Tim Hortons. After I got my permanent residency, I was looking for something more stable, something I could build a life around. Friends told me, “Be patient, BC Ferries is a good job, good pay, strong union.” So I kept at it. Eventually, I got hired and haven’t looked back.

I work as a customer service attendant and hold a 5A classification. I’m also an active union member: shop steward, trainer, and for the past few years, head of Local 1’s Good & Welfare Committee. That work has become one of the most meaningful parts of my job.

When I was new, our former union president Christine Spencer helped me through every question and concern. She made me feel supported and I promised myself I’d do the same for others. That’s why I got involved. That’s what keeps me going.

The Good & Welfare Committee is about showing up for our members in small but meaningful ways. Every year, we organize Halloween treats, Easter egg giveaways, BBQs and raffles. We’ve raised thousands of dollars to help members facing emergencies. We’ve supported local groups like the Bayanihan Filipino Community’s Feed the Hunger program and the Threshold Society. We deliver snacks and chocolate, hold bottle drives and welcome new hires with small gifts. We make people feel seen and cared for.

Last Easter, I handed out treats and saw the smiles on people’s faces. Even if it’s just a small gesture, it reminds people that their union cares, that they matter, that someone’s thinking about them.

There are challenges, of course. We’re short-staffed and casuals struggle to get consistent hours. Long-time employees don’t always feel valued. Sometimes it feels like more focus goes to new hires than to people who’ve been here 10, 20, 30 years.

If I could change one thing, it would be the pay. Even as a regular employee, I’ve had to take on a second job. The cost of living is going up and it’s hard to make it on one income. We work hard. We deserve to be compensated fairly.

Still, I’m proud to be part of BC Ferries and proud to be part of this union. I believe our union is our shared responsibility.

Pee-Jay G. Magpantay, Shop Steward, Good and Welfare Committee, Local 1.