Bargaining Update #6
Union Bargaining Update
The following update is provided for the information of BCFMWU members only. Please do not post on bulletin boards or share on social media.
After reaching impasse for the special and general wage negotiations your Union contacted the Chair of the Article 35.02 panel.
Since the last bargaining update your Union has met with the Chair of the Dispute Resolution Panel for one-on-one exploratory discussions on mediation and potential use of the Dispute Resolution Panel. The Chair also met with the employer representative between meetings with the Union.
Mediation has not started yet and a determination on the potential success of mediation has not been made by the Chair. If the Chair deems mediation has potential to be successful, both parties will enter into mediation with one or more members of the panel. This would be an attempt to resolve the current impasse and reach a negotiated agreement. If agreement is achieved, then the wage proposal would go through the standard Union ratification process of SOC and Provincial Executives and the entire membership for ratification votes.
As a measure of planning, the Union and employer agreed to arbitration dates in late October 2023. These dates are set to ensure the process doesn’t drag out unnecessarily. If the parties go to the Dispute Resolution Panel a decision would be binding, meaning there would not be a ratification vote.
As the situation develops updates will be provided directly to the membership via email and at www.bcfmwu.com in the members area..
On behalf of your Central Negotiating Committee,
Strength in numbers and stronger together
Eric McNeely
Provincial President & Committee Chair
BC Ferry & Marine Workers’ Union
DO NOT post on social media or bulletin boards.
BC Ferry & Marine Workers’ Union
1511 Stewart Avenue
Nanaimo, BC V9S 4E3
Union Office Telephone: 1.800.663.7009 or 250.716.3454
Mail: mailroom@bcfmwu.com Fax: 250.716.3455
